The Master Corps
by Thomas A. Hawk
Summary: Among the mighty hunters of the world, a few individuals stand at the true peak of strength, skill, and ability. It was one man's vision to bring these individuals together and create the ultimate monster slaying group, dedicated to combating the toughest of monsters and uncovering the secrets of the past. This group is known as the Master Corps, and they live up to the name. 3U/4U
1. A New Beginning

The Master Corp

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

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Chapter 1- A New Beginning

"'Scuse me! Comin' through!"

Wes darted between two people as he ran through a crowd, turning himself sideways to fit between them. The two startled shoppers dropped their wares and shouted at him as he sprinted away, but he didn't pay any mind; today was way too important for him to be late. Wes was heading for the docks of Moga Village, eager to board the ship that was no doubt awaiting him at the waterfront. The hunter leapt over an empty table and slid beneath another as he landed, rolling after he came out from below the table and getting back to his feet in one move. He darted past another group of shoppers, ignoring the startled shouts from a few more people.

According to his father, Moga Village had a large influx of visitors and merchants numerous years ago. Wes had heard stories about how the village had once been a small fishing community, but later became an immense population center where hunters flocked and business owners found their success. This was largely due to location; all different kinds of monsters made their nests on the island connected to the village, thriving in an environment that supported the broadest variety of creatures in the country.

Not only was the hunting good, but the strategic value of capitalizing on hunting led to more shops and businesses opening than ever. It only took about two years after the earthquakes that plagued the island several decades ago ceased for Moga to get put on the map, and another twenty forged the village into a city that rivaled even Loc Lac, the hunting capital.

Wes always enjoyed walking around the large market center and browsing the wares with his parents; each week, traders came by and sold different wares from overseas, things that would be unobtainable for anyone living in the village otherwise. His parents sometimes sold things themselves: his father often made complex machines and devices that could make difficult tasks easier to accomplish, while his mother would sell food and home-cooked meals that were basically becoming local legends.

Today, though, was a different day. Wes wasn't going shopping with his parents, he wasn't going out gathering with his mother in the woods, and he wasn't training at the Hunter's School with his father. Wes was preparing to leave Moga on his own for the first time in his life. He had already passed his Hunter's Examination three years prior; he held the distinction of being the youngest participant to pass the test yet. He had done so well, in fact, that he was immediately allowed to go after High Rank monsters.

No doubt this was because his parents were expert hunters; from a young age, Wes had learned the ways of gathering and tracking from his mother, while his father had taught him how to fight and free-run. Wes was glad he'd paid attention; he could pick out some of the minutest details in the environment, traverse almost any terrain, track monsters based on the smallest clues, and combat some of the toughest beasts in the world. At least, he thought he could. There was still plenty out there for him to hunt. At one point, his father even said that Wes was a better fighter than he was, though Wes found that to be a bit untruthful, as he had yet to best his father in a training match.

Wes sprinted through the market square, climbed up a building and started to run towards the docks from the rooftops; he could see a large boat with a Guild emblem emblazoned upon its sails. He grinned to himself as he leapt between roofs and raced to the pier. _Finally… I can't wait for this!_

Wes leapt off the building nearest to the pier, grabbing hold of a large hook used to hoist Sharqs the Hunting Fleet killed. The hook dropped with him, the chain linked to it extending as he went; the hook slowed his fall immensely. The dual sword user landed on the sturdy wooden dock in a crouch, releasing the hook and letting it rise back up to its previous position. He slowly got to his feet and pulled his hood back, brushing his blonde hair out of his different colored eyes; the right was a clear blue, while the left was a vivid green.

For a hunter, Wes sure didn't much look the part. While most other men and women in the profession preferred heavy, defensive suits of armor crafted from the beasts they had slain, he wore an outfit that, at first glance, could be mistaken for regular cloth and leather. His father, who was once known as the craftiest hunter alive, had made the suit especially for him as a going away gift. The main material used was Barioth furs, expertly crafted into a thin, sturdy shirt that offered almost as much protection as plate mail, complete with a hood lined with extra padding for defense and mobility. It was further augmented by a thinly woven suit of Rathalos scales he wore beneath the shirt. Above that, he wore an azure vest made from Lagiacrus hides that extended from his chest to above his knees both in front and behind him. A red sash made from Rathalos webbings was tied around his waist, and a black leather belt was tied around that. He wore baggy, padded tan pants crafted from Great Wroggi hides that offered not only protection, but also helped absorb the shock from falls.

The real armor, though, came in the form of the black leather pieces on his chest, arms, and legs. Wes wasn't sure exactly what creature the material came from, but the leather was incredibly strong and thin. A vest made from the black leather was strapped to his chest over all the other pieces of his suit, protecting his vitals perfectly. He wore bracers and guards around his biceps made from the same thing, and his boots were likewise made from the dark monster hide.

On his back, a pair of unique dual swords was sheathed. They were perfect replicas of each other, matching in appearance; both had sharp, greyish-blue blades that curved slightly upwards, giving them a saber-like appearance. Each had a straight handle wrapped in leather and a thin, silver handguard that extended across the top of the hand and over the fingers. These were specially crafted for him as well, made from the highest quality metals in the country and suited perfectly to him.

In addition to his dual blades, the bracers on Wes' arms served a combat function as well. Both pieces had a small metal compartment built into it that, with a quick wrist movement, would cause a thin, very sharp blade to extend from his forearm. These in particular were something Wes had been hoping to get for several years. His father had a similar pair that he had made a long time ago, which, despite their relative uselessness in open fights with larger beasts, proved to be invaluable in carving, dealing precise death blows to smaller monsters, and at one point, even diffused a hostile situation at the local tavern. Wes checked the blades to ensure they were still functioning properly before turning back to the large boat.

He looked upon the ship which lay docked before him at the port. It was fairly large, big enough to hold at least four or five groups of hunters aboard. In fact, it probably did; the Guild had supposedly called upon numerous hunters for a special job, with Wes being one of them. He gazed up and down the ship, in awe at the prospect of being allowed to sail on it.

"Excuse me, sir, are you here for something?" Wes turned to face a pair of men wearing red Guild uniforms standing behind him, their arms crossed. "This ship is here on official Guild business; we must ask you to keep away from here until our work is concluded."

"No, it's fine," Wes replied. "This ship is here for me. I got the message a few weeks ago." The hunter pulled a letter out of the smaller pouch on his belt, holding it out to the pair. One of them took the letter from his hand, reading it up and down as if to verify that it was indeed his. After a moment, the man handed the letter back to him, somewhat apologetically.

"I apologize. You're awfully young for a job such as this, and if the description of you we were given hadn't specifically noted your eyes, we'd have needed a bit more proof than that. Still, it's good of you to have accepted, Mr. Wes. Please, come aboard; the _Righteous Law _will be shipping out soon, and we'd hate to be late. Yours is the last stop we have before we head to the capital."

"Wes, hold up a minute! Not gonna go without a proper good-bye, are you?" Wes smirked and turned around, seeing his parents standing on the dock. The hunter motioned to the Guild members to wait a moment before quickly striding over to them. He shook his father's hand before hugging his mother, excited to leave but also a bit nervous.

"Don't forget to send a few letters now and then, alright?" his mother asked, holding him for a good long while in a very caring manner. She had very soft features and long brown hair, which she now had tied into a ponytail. Her eyes were a vivid emerald green that were as bright as a sunlit meadow. Despite being in her forties, she still maintained a youthful beauty about her, and with it, a physically fit body. She'd always been quick on her feet, which was something Wes was glad to have picked up from her.

"And remember what I told you about those swords, son: don't lose 'em. It took me forever to make those," his father remarked, a bit sternly but still with a compassionate tone. He had a much more aged appearance than Wes' mother did, with some small wrinkles here and there. He had medium-long, messy brown hair and a beard that matched his hair color. His right eye was covered by a black eye-patch; Wes had seen the damage to the eye several times before, which left the once clear blue eye a plain white. A scar extended above the eye as well, branching into two cuts below his eye, one which was still somewhat visible under the patch. His build was a fair bit stockier than Wes, though he was far more agile than his appearance let on. Wes' training had only proved that to the extreme; they had run over thin logs spanning wide rivers and climbed tall mountains together throughout most of Wes' life, developing his ability to cross almost any terrain with almost no difficulty.

"Don't worry, ma, I will. And pa, I'll be careful with the swords, don't worry," Wes reassured, nodding at the two. His mother smiled warmly at him and his father gave him a confident grin.

"I get the feeling that you're gonna go far, Wes," his father said. Pulling him off to the side, his father lowered his voice. "And try not to lose that eye of yours," he said quietly, pointing at Wes's right eye. "The ladies love the blue, trust me."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Wes snarked, punching his father lightly on the arm. "I'm not as clumsy as you were, you know!" Wes pointed at his father's eye patch, a sarcastic grin on his face. "Better watch out next time, eh?"

"Alright, you've had your fun," his father said, laughing a bit. "I think it's about time you got going, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I'll send you some of the money I make if you want!"

"Hah! That's my boy! Alright, get outta here already, else we'll be standing here all day. Go and kick some ass, kid."

"I'm pretty sure that's a requirement for the job, pa," Wes said, backing up a bit as he started towards the ship. "I'll try and visit, no worries! See you around!" Wes gave his parents a final wave before going with the two Guild officials to the gangway and boarding the ship, eager to begin his journey. Before too long, the _Righteous Law_ began to pull away from the docks, leaving Moga Village behind as the wind filled its sails and propelled it out to sea. The dual sword user stood on the back of the ship, giving his parents one last thumbs up as the ship departed, grinning as the two waved back.

"So, you're the one we just picked up, eh?" Wes turned to the man who stood at his side, somewhat startled; he hadn't even heard him approach! The first thing Wes noticed about him was that his eyes were a shining gold color. "You're not hiding a bow in that outfit of yours, are you?"

"Nah, I use dual blades," Wes replied, turning around completely to face the man. "You got a problem with archers?"

"Nope, just checking up the competition!" he replied, brushing his black hair away from his left eye; it quickly fell back into place, obscuring his eye completely. "I'm aiming to be the best bow user in history, so any challenge I gotta beat!" Wes noted the numerous callouses on his hand; this guy was practically fanatical about using a bow, from the looks of it. He was definitely built like an archer.

"Well, I can use a bow, but I prefer using swords above anything. Nothing like tearing a beast to shreds with your own two hands, in my opinion. So I put a sword in each and bam, it became that much easier!"

The archer let out a short laugh in response. "Right you are! Not a bad thought at all. The name's Viper," he said, holding his hand out to shake.

"I'm Wes," the dual sword user replied, taking his hand firmly and shaking. "Where do you come from, Viper?"

"Ah, just a small village by the Flooded Forest. I tell you, some of the monsters out there can get pretty wild; not sure what you Moga folk have to deal with on a daily basis, but before the ship came we got jumped by a Gobul and a Royal Ludroth. It… Well… Let's just say the village will be eating pretty well for the next few weeks!"

Wes chuckled a bit; Viper seemed like a pretty friendly person, and if he was on this ship, it meant that he was a superb hunter already. Viper didn't have any of his hunting gear on though, so Wes wasn't sure what kind of equipment he used. Still, a fast friend was better than none, so Wes was quick to welcome him.

"Y'know, I haven't seen equipment like that before, Wes," Viper said. "Where'd it come from? Some new monster? Looks like Barioth pelts to me. And what's that black leather?"

"My pa's in the business of making things," Wes explained. "He made these for a going away gift, I guess. Better than my other armor sets, at least. It's way more comfortable than my old Rathalos suit. It's a bit of a mix; Barioth pelts and Lagiacrus hides for the body, Great Wroggi hide for the legs, and a Rathalos webbing sash to top it off. for As for the leather, I'm not so sure myself. Probably something my pa hunted a while back."

"Doesn't look much like armor to me, but whatever floats your boat," Viper replied with a shrug.

"So, how many hunters are on this ship now?"

"Well, I've been on for most of the trip, and I've counted about twelve, including you."

"Huh, I guess I thought there'd be a few more," Wes remarked, a bit disappointed.

"Ah, cheer up; you just gotta meet some of 'em," Viper said, pushing himself off the railing. "Come on; I'll show you around."

Wes followed the archer below deck and through a hallway until they arrived in a large room, set up like a tavern, with a few benches filled with people talking, eating, and drinking. The two sat down at an empty table from which they could see all the hunters in the room.

"See those two over there?" Viper said, pointing to a pair of hunters conversing with each other off to the side. They both wore armor made from G-Rank Barioth materials. "The taller one's name is Frost, and the one with him is his sister, Snow. Apparently, they're twins, but I haven't seen Frost's face before. Still, they both probably have white hair; she's got it, so he should too, right? They come from a town about a mile from the Tundra, and I hear they're both pretty deadly hunters."

"He's freakin' tall; he's gotta be at least a foot taller than her, right? How can they be twins with that big of a height difference?"

"No clue, but hey, it's just a rumor. Maybe they're just close enough to be siblings, maybe he's adopted, who knows. Anyways, see the full table over there? The one with all the girls? Those are the Gem Sisters; they aren't related, but I hear they've been hunting together for years. The one with shoulder length red hair is Ruby, the one with long blue hair is Sapphire, greeny is Emerald, and the medium length purple haired one is Amethyst."

"There is no possible way that their hair is natural," Wes remarked, a bit confused by the colors. "And are those their real names?"

"As far as I know, yeah. But don't let their looks fool you; rumor has it they brought down a Deviljho in minutes."

"Seriously? They look too… cute to be that tough." Wes found them all to be attractive, but wasn't about to ogle any of them; he'd heard stories from his father about how much his mother managed to squeeze out of him money-wise because of her looks, and Wes wasn't about to follow that example.

"Well, like I said, I only know what I've heard. Let's see… there's Bruno over there with the Lagiacrus hammer, Faron is the guy with the Rathalos bowgun, Curt there uses an Agnaktor switch-axe, and John has a Brachydios great sword."

"They have any claims to fame?"

"Not that I've heard… but that meal the waitress is bringing over is definitely looking like one of mine!" he said as a woman set two plates of food down before them and departed with a smile. Wes was surprised at how fast the man wolfed his food down; he hadn't even started yet and the archer had already completely devoured half of his plate.

"Jeez, slow down a bit; you're gonna kill yourself at that rate!" Wes said, digging into his own food.

"Mph! Mph phe mpht mm mmng!" Viper replied, his mouth full of food.

"Damn, swallow before you talk, dude!" Wes replied, chuckling but confused. He waited for Viper to swallow before hearing out what he said.

"I said, I think that we might have company," Viper said, nodding towards a few hunters who were nearing. Wes turned to see who was approaching; the Gem sisters were walking over to the table they were seated at. He quickly swallowed another bite as they gathered themselves around the table.

"So, you're the last hunter we picked up?" the red haired girl, Ruby, asked bluntly.

"Well, who else would he be?" Emerald asked, crossing her arms. "It's not like we don't know everyone else already or anything."

"Can you two stop bickering for ten seconds?" Amethyst asked, sighing. "Everyone thinks we're crazy enough as is."

"Well, I think that's because Emerald beat the crap out of that guy who asked for our names yesterday," Sapphire said, jokingly.

"He was a creep, and you know it!"

"Eh… did I… miss something?" Wes asked, a bit confused by their somewhat botched introduction. The girls quit bickering and immediately returned their attention to him.

"Oh, it was nothing, don't worry about. Anyways what's your name, blondie?" Amethyst asked, leaning on the edge of the table.

"The name's Wes, and don't call me blondie," he replied, a bit irritated at the nickname. The other girls laughed a bit, finding his reaction humorous.

"Alright, whatever," Ruby said. "But what's up with your eyes? Don't most people have, y'know, normal colored eyes?"

"I dunno, I kinda like them," Sapphire commented. "I haven't seen anyone else with eyes like that, have you?"

Wes elbowed Viper as the girls again began to bicker amongst themselves, getting his attention. "Is it normal for them to gossip about the guy sitting right in front of them? And I thought they were a team; seems like they hate each other."

"Those're girls for you, Wes," Viper replied, chuckling. "No one understands them!"

"Oh, hello, Viper," Emerald said, finally noticing the archer seated beside Wes. "It's great to see you again," she continued, somewhat irately. Wes wasn't sure what it was, but the two seemed like they had some sort of conflict between them.

"Pleasure's all mine, E," Viper replied mockingly. "Still working on learning how to hit something with a bow?"

"Please, you only won because of that gust of wind! I'll take you on any day with a stable draft, and then we'll see who the better archer is."

"Hey, last I checked, most environments we'll be hunting in won't be stable. You honestly want to complain about losing in a completely fair contest?" Viper's counter immediately silenced the green haired woman, drawing a chuckle from the gold eyed hunter. "That's what I thought. And I'll keep winning all of our arguments too!"

"Alright, can we try and… I dunno, not argue for like five minutes?" Wes said at last. "I can't even tell if we're becoming friends or about to get into a fight here!"

"I guess he's right… Anyways, what makes you so special, Wes?" Sapphire asked. "I mean, besides your eyes."

"Well, I took down a pair of Raths three years ago for my Hunter's exam. Took me… seven minutes and forty-nine seconds, if I remember." Wes smirked as all the eyes at the table widened in awe at the statement.

"You're lying, no one except for a veteran could reach a time that fast!" Amethyst said, a tinge of amazement in her voice.

"I learned from the best. Can't help it if I'm that good, can I?" he replied smugly. If there was one thing he had been looking forward to, it was showing off a bit.

"Hey, it took me a bit under five to take a Nargacuga down," Viper commented, butting in. "It ain't that hard to take a few monsters down if you know what you're doing."

"Please, that wasn't even a fight; you paralyzed it and just started flinging arrows into the thing," Ruby pointed out. "We were all there; don't lie about it!"

"I never said how I took it down, did I?" the archer asked amusingly. The red haired girl clamped her jaw shut, her face going red with embarrassment. "That's two for me," Viper mumbled low enough for Wes to hear.

"Wait, you said you took those Raths how long ago? Three years?" Emerald asked curiously. "…How old are you?"

"Eighteen, gonna be nineteen in a couple months," Wes replied, further amazing the group.

"You were fifteen!? Exactly where did you learn to hunt?" Sapphire asked disbelievingly.

"My pa and ma; they were expert hunters a while back. Learned everything from them."

"Well, it's been lovely, but we have to go now," Emerald said, suddenly beginning to pull Ruby and Amethyst away along with her; it almost seemed like she noticed they had to be somewhere important. "Bye, blondie! Bye… Thing…" she said, referring to Wes and Viper.

"…Guess I'd better go with them…" Sapphire said, sighing. "Nice meeting you, Wes. I really like your eyes, by the way!" she said, walking away and waving as she followed after the others.

"Well, that was … fun…" Wes commented, scratching the back of his head in confusion. Viper shrugged in reply, amused. "And why did they run off like that?"

"Hey, like I said: no one understands them."

"Excuse us, do you mind if we sit with you?" The two looked up to see Snow and Frost standing beside the table, as if they had been there for a while.

"Yeah, sure," Wes replied, motioning towards the empty seats. The pair seated themselves opposite Wes and Viper. "You been there long?"

"Long enough to see you run the Gem Sisters off, yeah," Snow replied with a laugh. "Seriously, I couldn't even tell if you were arguing or just talking!"

"Neither could I," Wes said, taking a sip from his tankard. "I'm Wes, and this is-"

"The name's Viper, and the pleasure's all mine," the archer said with a quick grin.

"Well, I'm Snow, and this is my brother, Frost. Just so you know, he isn't really the talkative type." The masked hunter nodded at them silently in greeting, as if to confirm his sister's statement.

"What're your claims to fame?" Viper asked, taking a bite off of a hunk of well-done meat. "I hear you two are good hunters, but I haven't heard about what you've actually done."

"Well, my brother and I took down a pair of Barioths that almost destroyed a town in the Tundra. We also drove a Brachydios off; almost killed it too, but a Deviljho decided to crash the party on us."

"Not bad, I heard that slime can be a real blast to deal with," Wes said, laughing a bit.

"Trust me, you don't know the half of it!" Snow replied, chuckling. She seemed like the one who did all the talking between her and her brother. Wes figured it was a bit of a compensation; she did all the talking, and he did… something else.

"What weapons are you two good with?" he asked, changing the subject.

"I've used a sword and shield most of my life," Snow replied, drawing her blade and showing it to the two. It was made from Barioth materials as well, and looked sharp enough to cleave a Jaggi in half without a sweat. "As for Frost…" Her brother pointed at the wall behind them, and the two turned around to take a look; a long sword stood resting on the wall behind them, made from high quality Ivory Lagiacrus materials. Still, there seemed to be a bit more to the blade than a usual long sword, but Wes couldn't fully determine what that was.

"Not a bad bit of blade there," Viper remarked with an impressed whistle. "Either of you good with anything ranged though?" The twins both shook their heads, and a confident grin came to Viper's face. "Hah! Still the best archer on the ship!"

Wes and Snow laughed at Viper's triumphant declaration while Frost merely shook his head in what could only be described as mild amusement. The four conversed well into the night, even as the other hunters began to leave the room and go about their own business; at least, three of them conversed. Frost merely shook his head or shrugged in response to questions. Eventually though, Wes found himself growing tired and decided to turn in for the night. "Alright, I think I'm gonna hit the hay. I'll see you all tomorrow, alright?"

"Alright, the cabins are down a level," Viper said, pointing down the hall towards a staircase. "See you tomorrow. I hear they're making wyvern egg omletts, and I'm not missing out on those!"

"We'll look for you at breakfast," Snow said, gesturing to herself and Frost. Her brother nodded in acceptance of the comment; Frost seemed like the type of person who just went along with things. Wes stood up, heading towards the cabins after giving his friends a final goodbye.

He checked the letter he had been sent, pulling a small key out of the envelope with the number '11' engraved on it. It took him a moment to find the room, but eventually he unlocked the door to his cabin and entered. The room was fairly well furnished, if a bit small, with a plush bed and a fully stocked, though cramped, bathroom. He washed his face before changing out of his armor and into some more comfortable nightwear. He climbed into the bed and quickly drifted off into sleep, drowsiness eventually overcoming his excitement about the prospect of his new job.

_This'll be a good run… I can just feel it…_

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_**Author Notes: **And so it begins! I must say, I've been eagerly anticipating the day I could finally release this for all of you! It's been a constant thought in my mind, and I'm happy to be getting this out there for your viewing pleasure. So, I hope that you intend to stick around a while; this is gonna be one hell of a story, I can assure you of that! And surprise surprise, dashboardgecko is my editor! Betcha weren't expecting that! Alright, it's that time again; remember to review and follow! See you next time!_

**_Playing: MH3U, Minecraft, Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag_**

**_Listening to: Papa Roach, Paramore, The Offspring, Avenged Sevenfold_**

**_Watching: Archer, The Walking Dead_**

**_Reading: My own writing_**


	2. Introductions

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

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Chapter 2- Introductions

Wes awoke in the middle of the night, hearing the creaking of the planks on the deck above him. He slowly pushed himself up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and getting to his feet. _It's still early… The others probably aren't up yet. Might as well take a walk… _

He strode over to the table and picked up his black leather bracers, strapping them to his arms and flicking his wrists; the sharp blades sprang out with hardly a sound, their edges gleaming in the dim light. He smirked to himself as he retracted the blades. It wasn't exactly necessary to wear them now, but he couldn't deny how much he liked having them on.

Wes quietly opened the door of his room, stepping into the dimly lit hallway. All the other doors were shut tight; everyone else was still sleeping. The hunter silently crept down the hall, being careful not to make any noise. Once he was clear of the hall, Wes ascended a couple flights of stairs, and felt the cool sea breeze as soon as he opened the door to the deck. It was a clear night, with the moon hanging high in the sky and the stars shining brightly. The ocean was calm, and the only sound that could be heard from below was the light splashing of small waves against the hull of the ship. Only a few sailors were up as well, going about making sure everything was running smoothly on the deck.

_Nice night… Maybe I'll get a better view. _Wes jogged over to the center mast, passing up the pole and grabbing a rope that was tightly wound around the mast. Using it as a handhold, he pulled himself up the mast quickly; his climbing ability was almost unmatched, and practically any surface with even the slightest handhold might as well be a ladder for him. Wes eventually climbed up to a square platform, hoisting himself up and sitting with his back against the mast. The view was amazing, with the moon reflecting off the ocean's surface like a giant pale coin. He could see for miles, and he could hear everything from the deck below. Wes listened in on some of the sailors, interested in hearing what they were talking about.

"…so you think this ship is actually able to do what the captain says it can? It's kinda hard to believe."

"Hey, he says it works, it works. There's been plenty of work that's gone into this thing. Why would the Guild send it on an assignment this important if they thought it wouldn't work?"

"Still, I'm surprised just how much technology has developed these past years. You see those new airships? Twice as fast and about twice as easy to fly, from what I hear. With all those researchers they've hired recently, I tell you, I think we're in good hands here."

"Aren't one of those egg heads on the ship now? I heard him talking with some hunters a few hours ago; who were they, those girls with the weird hair? I dunno what they were talking about, but it seemed like they were getting some info on some new species. Some kinda dragon or something."

"Ah, leave it to them. The hunters'll kill one and bring it in, the scientists will find out what it is."

Wes heard a door open, and heavy boots walking on the deck. "Oi, what're you doing just standing around? We'll hit land within six hours, so everything needs to be set up perfectly, got it? Go over everything twice. If you already did, do it again. We can't have any mistakes."

"Aye, aye, captain." The sailors began to disperse about the deck, and the captain headed up to the wheel. It had been locked in place by a bar-like device, but the man quickly removed it and gripped the wheel. He wore a long navy blue coat and hat; from that height, his face was obscured, but Wes could make out a short blond beard. _I feel like I've met him… Where've I seen him before?_

Wes noticed the sky beginning to brighten after a while, and decided to head back before the other hunters awoke. Glancing over the edge of the platform, he noticed a bundle of cloth stored in a large rectangular crate. With a dare-devilish grin, he leapt over the edge, flipping in midair as he plummeted towards his intended cushion! He landed back first into the crate, flinching a bit as the cloth enveloped him. There had been enough to soften the impact, so Wes climbed out of the crate with no injuries and a short chuckle. _Pa'd be pissed if he saw me do that_.

Wes briskly strode over to the doors and entered the hold, descending back to the cabins, entering his room quietly and getting his armor back on. After another few minutes, he began to hear other doors in the hallway opening, along with stifled yawns and shuffling feet. Following suit, Wes left his room and joined the hunters heading towards the mess hall. They were all suited up as well, and each carried their unique weapon with them.

The dual blade user quickly got a plate of food before going to join Viper, who was busy stuffing his face at a nearby table. He was dressed in a suit of Green Nargacuga materials, and had a bow made from the same creature on his back. The helm of the suit rested on the seat next to him; Viper noticed him after a moment and waved him over.

"Mornin', Wes," the archer said. "Apparently we're getting to Loc Lac this afternoon. Everyone else decided to get suited up early."

"Won't it take a while to move everything from this ship to a sandship?" Wes asked, seating himself and beginning to eat.

"Probably. Still, that's the rumor, so why not get ready?"

"Hey guys, thanks for saving us seats," Snow said, walking over to them with Frost. The long sword user still had his helmet on, something that Wes found puzzling for someone at meal time.

"Does he always have his helmet on?" the dual sword wielder asked, taking a bite out of his meal. "Like, even when he eats?"

"Not always, but usually. It's kinda his thing. He actually ate already, so don't worry about him." Wes and Viper exchanged a quick glance and a shrug before returning to their meals.

"Any idea how long it'll take to get to Loc Lac?" Wes asked, pushing his empty plate away.

"No clue, I just heard it would be sometime this afternoon. I'm guessing they're gonna tell us now, though," Viper replied, stacking his plate on top of Wes'. "See up there, on that stage lookin' thing? There are a couple Guild officers there. Probably have the news right now. Hey, Snow, you gonna finish those Kut-ku nuggets?"

"Everyone, may we have your attention please!"

"Told you."

The hunters turned to face the officers, who stood beside each other uniformly on the platform. There were five total, four wearing dull red colored uniforms with gold trimming and one behind them wearing a similar uniform, but was all black with silver trimming.

"We'd like to begin by thanking all of you for accepting the invitation to join the Master Corps. It's a true privilege to have such highly regarded hunters in this new detachment. All of you have been selected for the variety of skills you have presented. Be it strength, intelligence, endurance, drive… all of you have qualities that put you above the others, which is why we have chosen you to become the first of hopefully many generations of this organization. We would like to personally introduce the Corps Head, the one who envisioned this entire endeavor, Sir Balestra."

The man in the black uniform stepped forward, allowing himself to be seen more clearly. He had a thin black goatee around a firm mouth. There were a few barely noticeable wrinkles on his face, and a very noticeable scar on the right side of his face, extending from his jaw to the middle of his cheek. He stood tall and proud, with his hands folded behind his back in a very formal manner, and gazed across the room with a pair of stern, deep red eyes, as if he was judging all of them with an almost supernatural accuracy. It seemed as though he'd met every kind of person there was, and would already know what to expect when he eventually spoke with them.

"Good day, all of you," Balestra began. He had a very flat, stoic voice that betrayed no emotion, yet still held a great, commanding tone. "As I'm sure you all are aware, I formed the Master Corps in order to accomplish several goals that would be far too difficult or time consuming for ordinary hunters to achieve. As such, it is important that I make you all aware that this is more than just a group dedicated to hunting. Ancient ruins dot this land, filled with artifacts of great importance to the research and development of new technologies. There are vital towns and villages that need defending from sudden Elder Dragon attacks. Key figures of importance to politics and the Guild itself need escorts in dangerous lands. These are only some of the assignments we have for you. I do hope you all understand this well; these contracts we will assign to you are far more dangerous than anything you've ever experienced before in all of your careers. This, I can assure you.

"In order to have you all effectively carry these out, we've come up with a system to determine which of you would be the best suited for each specific task. Do not expect to be on the same team every time. You all must learn to adapt, not only to the situation, but with each other, in order to properly complete these tasks, and absolute perfection in team dynamics will be essential. Now, in regards to rankings…"

Balestra continued speaking for a long while, elaborating on the importance on their positions and what they'd be doing. It got to the point where Wes had to force himself to stifle yawns, along with several other hunters in the room.

"Jeez, this guy could talk for days," Viper mumbled, shifting in his seat a bit. "How long is this gonna go on?"

"It's been about a half hour since he started," Snow said quietly, and somewhat irritably. "When are we just going to get on with it?"

"Not sure. Maybe he's gonna try to make us take notes too…" Wes replied, resting his head in his hand as the Corps Head continued his speech. "Dammit, didn't realize I signed up for a lecture…"

"…such is the reason behind our expeditions. I assure you all, this is a momentous occasion, and you should all be proud to serve within this unit. And with that, I bid you all good day."

Balestra concluded his speech and stepped back behind the other guild officers. The whole energy level in the room seemed to rise as everyone realized he had finished speaking. Some hunters at one of the tables began to rise to their feet, but were stopped as one of the officers raised a hand.

"Before our business here is concluded, we would first like to introduce the captain onboard the _Righteous Law._ You will all become well acquainted with the other members of the crew over the course of your careers with us, so it is important you meet the captain early. Sir Dustin, if you'please."

At a small table to the left of the platform, the man dressed in the blue coat Wes had seen from the deck of the ship rose from his seat and walked aboard the stage. He seemed somewhat rugged and determined, yet compassionate all the same. He had somewhat long blond hair tied back by a red string and a short, light beard. Beneath his jacket, he wore a suit of what looked to be ordinary hunting armor. He had a commanding presence; it was then that Wes finally recognized him.

"I think that's my pa's old apprentice," Wes whispered to the others. "But I thought he was a hunter; what's he doing piloting a boat?"

"Dunno, maybe he was asked?" Snow replied. "He looks like he'd be pretty good at it anyways. He kinda has that air of a captain about him."

"It's nice to meet you all," Dustin said from the stage, drawing the hunters' attention back to him. "I'd like to assure you that you'll all be in good hands with me at the wheel. I've been doing this my whole life, after all. Just remember, this is my ship, so I got a few rules; don't worry, there's only three. One, you throw up, you clean up. Two, don't get in the crew's way while they're working. Three, for the love of god, don't light anything on fire." The congregation of hunters laughed as the captain returned to his seat. Two others were there as well, one of whom gave the man a pat on the back.

"Thank you for that, Captain. The Head Liaison, Miss Sally, is awaiting us in Loc Lac, but her duty is to help you all manage assignments and distribute work effectively. This job is going to be a difficult one, so she will no doubt be helpful to all of you. So, since she is not here, we'd instead like to introduce the Chief of the medical staff, Doctor Connor."

This time, a darker skinned man rose from the table, taking his place at the stage. He looked almost too strong to be a doctor, having very broad shoulders and sharp features. He had long black hair he kept slicked back, and wore a white uniform.

"It is good for you all to have come," Connor began, talking slowly yet confidently. "Hunting is the most dangerous profession in the world, and as such, I have learned as many ways of treatment possible for every kind of injury. I do not originally come from this country, but I would like to ease all doubts now by saying I have lived in these lands for more than two decades, and have saved exactly three hundred eighty-seven lives from the brink of death. You have nothing to fear if you are injured." The doctor then returned to his seat as well, sharing a few words with the others assembled there. They all seemed familiar to Wes; it was as if he'd seen all of them before.

"Next is the Head of Defense, Order, Suppression, Labor, and… General Ass-Kicking in General…? Sir Lyle..." The guild officers seemed a bit confused by the line, but made no mention of it as a man wearing heavy armor made from Deviljho parts stomped up the steps, removing his helmet as he did. He was incredibly muscular, and had a large hammer strapped to his back that looked to be made from the same beast as his armor. His face was incredibly angular, as if it had been a stone cut to the shape. He had a full head of spiky brown hair and a five-o'clock shadow covering most of the lower half of his face. Various scars covered his face as well, the most prominent of which was extending from above his left eye to the left side of his jaw. He had a stern expression, but seemed like he was trying a bit hard too intimidate everyone.

"Alright, listen up! I'm Lyle, and all you need to know is that if any of you try to cause trouble, go against orders, cause disturbances, or piss me off, it's my job to set you straight. If you want a more direct explanation, here it is: I get to beat the shit out of you. Any questions? Good. Make my job easy, and we'll get along just fine." Some of the hunters seemed legitimately concerned by the threat as Lyle returned to his spot as well, but Wes just chuckled to himself a bit.

"Someone's awfully full of themselves," Viper whispered with a smirk. "He does look like he could snap almost anyone in here like a twig though."

"Still, I don't think he's the brightest one at that table," Wes replied. "Seriously, the Head of General Ass-Kicking in General? You honestly think the Guild would have put that in themselves?"

"Fair enough. Still, you get busted up, I hope that doctor can find the pieces."

"The remainder of the lieutenants are not here now," the guild representatives stated. "They will join you on only the most difficult of assignments, and for good reason: they all far outclass any other hunters available. And with that, we'd like to welcome you all to the Master Corps, and we hope you will faithfully carry out your duties. You may go about your business for now; we will be arriving in Loc Lac in about three hours."

"Finally! Dammit, I thought that would never end!" Viper said, stretching and groaning tiredly. "They didn't even give us assignments yet... Bah, whatever, I'm gonna hit the top deck. The sailors set up targets for us to practice on earlier. Wanna check out how good I am with a bow?"

"Yeah, sure, I'll check it out in a bit. I'm going to talk with the captain real quick; I'd like to see if it's really the same guy. What about you two?" Wes said, directing the question at the twins.

"I'm alright with the deck. What about you, Frost?" Snow asked. The long sword user nodded in confirmation, signifying he was okay with it as well. "I guess we'll see you there then!"

"Alright, I'll see you in a bit." The three departed for the upper deck while Wes strode over to the table Dustin, Connor, and Lyle were seated at. The three were laughing and drinking like old friends, which they were from the looks of it. The captain noticed him approaching, and the other two turned around to face the dual-sword user.

"Huh, there's something a bit familiar about you…" Dustin said, scratching his beard. "Ah, you're York's kid, aren't you? The outfit was a dead giveaway! Come sit with us!"

"So, what's your name, kid?" Lyle asked as Wes took a seat opposite the three.

"Wes," he replied, eager to converse with the older men. "So, you were my pa's old apprentice? Are you still hunting?"

"Aye, I was. York was definitely a good hunter; the best I've ever seen, actually. I'm glad to have learned under him, even if it was only for a couple months. As for me hunting, well, I moved on to work with sailing. Had a bit of an… injury a few years back that kept me from tangling with the tougher monsters, so I decided to follow in my own father's footsteps and become a sandship captain. I probably would've gotten killed back then if it wasn't for the armor I got from York. Next time you see him, tell him I've been taking good care of it, will ya?"

"Yeah, no problem. And you two?" Wes asked. "You all seem to know each other pretty well; weren't you two hunters too?"

"I was, but I found more use in pursuit of new medicines," Connor replied. "There have been many new advances in all the different forms of treatments for the past few years, and I would like to say I had some part in that. I was even looking into possible prosthetic replacements for hunters who have lost limbs in battle. Admittedly, I have had… mixed successes, shall we say. Aside from that, though, I have made alterations to the potions used in everyday hunting, increasing their effectiveness. I made a few other improvements as well, but you can learn about those when you need to."

"As for me, these lugs just asked me t' go along with it all," Lyle said, taking a large gulp from a tankard of ale. "Balestra scouted them since they had 'high honors' or some shit. I was hired since he needed security detail, and I was the best choice. Personally, I just like t' smash things. Sure, I won't be going after monsters as much, but if I get to bust some heads on the ship, I'll be satisfied."

"Seems like great reasoning," Wes said sarcastically.

"Hey, I get free booze with the job! Couldn't ask for a better payment!"

The captain let out a short laugh, clearly amused at the short exchange.

"You're more like your father than you'd realize, Wes," he stated. "Well, I'd better get back and get the wheel from the old man. We'll be hitting the sand sea in an hour or so, so I gotta be ready to shift gears."

"Yeah, about that: didn't you say you were a sandship captain? Why's this thing on the ocean then?" Wes asked curiously, leaning forward a bit.

"You'll see," the captain replied rather cryptically. "The Guild's put plenty of resources into this ship. Let's just leave it at that for now. Don't worry; you'll find out before too long." He then got up from the table, departing the room with a confident stride.

"Oh, and before you go, I feel obligated to share something with you," the doctor stated, also getting to his feet. "Some of your father's old hunting partners are members of the Master Corps as well. They will be serving only when they are needed though. It is a bit… costly to give them direct orders, I have heard."

"Huh, guess I'll have to keep an eye out for 'em. Thanks for the heads up," Wes replied, standing up. "I'm gonna see what the others are up to. I'll catch you guys later, alright?"

"Yeah, yeah… Don't be that informal, kid," Lyle said, setting down his tankard. "Balestra wants us to have some sorta 'Rank-and-File' shit, so you gotta refer to us by title. Personally, I don't give a damn, but apparently that's part of my job."

"I'll try to remember that, Lyle." Wes turned and walked across the room towards the stairs, making his way up towards the deck. Upon exiting the ship, he was greeted by the bright midday sun.

"Oi, Wes! Check this out!" Viper called from across the deck. The dual sword user jogged over to where his friends stood, noting that Viper currently had his bow drawn and several arrows notched. Five targets were hung at an irregular pattern on the mast opposite him. "How much do you want to bet that I can hit all of them with one shot?"

"I still think it's impossible," Snow remarked. "I mean, honestly, how could you hit them at a placement like that? I'll betcha five hundred gold at the most."

"Same here," Wes added, pulling a small bag of coins out. "You miss, you owe us both five hundred, Viper."

"Not a problem, bud! I wasn't kidding when I said I was the best archer on this ship!" The bow user drew the string back and adjusted the arrows with a quick flick of his ring finger before letting them all fly; at first, they all seemed like they would completely miss, but they suddenly veered towards the targets closest to them and struck the bulls-eyes dead center. Viper merely grinned as Wes and Snow stood dumb-struck at the show of archery they had just witnessed.

"There is no way that was real. You had to have cheated!" Snow said disbelievingly.

"…If you can do that again, then you win," Wes added, just as skeptical.

A couple moments later, Viper was laughing, having struck the targets three more times just as flawlessly as before. "Alright, pony up them coins," he remarked, holding his hand out victoriously. The two hunters were forced to accept that the bow user was just as good as he said and reluctantly dropped the money into the archer's open hand.

"Betcha can't beat me up the center mast though," Wes challenged, pointing towards the large pillar. "I'll make you another bet: you beat me, I give you one thousand gold, and if I beat you, we get our money back."

"Seriously? I've lived climbing trees and rocks all my life! If you want, I can keep getting some pocket change from all of you! Should we begin with a running start?"

"Yeah, of course. We'll go one at a time, and a ref will judge the time. That good for you?"

"Yeah. I'll go first. Stand back, bud, and prepare to lose!" The two left their weapons with the twins before Viper took his place, positioning himself a short distance from the mast.

"Snow, you mind saying go to kick this off? I'd ask Frost, but… well, you know."

"Yeah, no problem! You ready then? Three… Two… One… GO!"

No sooner had she begun the race than the hunter began sprinting at a swift pace towards the mast! Viper ran as fast as he could before passing up the pillar with a kick and beginning to climb. Viper had an impressive jump, but his actual climbing was rather slow, as if he had to look harder for handholds. Still, it wasn't long before he made it to the crow's nest high above the deck. He descended to the deck using a hook and rope nearby the platform.

"How'd I do?"

"About fifty seconds," Snow answered, somewhat impressed. "The same as one of the sailors, even."

"Hah! Top that, bud!"

"You aren't the only one who can climb, you know!" Wes immediately took his place, his stance exuding pure confidence in himself. At Snow's signal, he sprinted at the column and passed up effortlessly, gripping the rope tied around the pole and not wasting any time in ascending the mast. Despite not keeping track of time, he was pretty sure it only took him about half as long as Viper to make it to the top. He grabbed the hook and dropped down to where the others were. "So, how about that gold?" he snidely remarked.

"Okay, I'll admit, I really didn't think you were that good of a climber," he replied, putting the coins in Wes' hand.

"Snow, here's your share," Wes said, tossing the coins to her.

"Thanks! Gotta admit, I've never seen anyone climb that fast before. Think you might be able to do that to a monster?" she replied, smiling warmly.

"Least I could do, eh?" he replied with a grin. "And who knows, maybe I can! But hey, has anyone been keeping an eye on the horizon?"

"Not really, no. Why?" Snow answered.

"Dustin said there'd be a surprise when we neared the desert; I don't want to miss it. Want to go to the front of the ship?"

"Sure, why not?" Viper said, slinging his bow across his back. The four walked across the deck to the bow. The desert was in sight, and several other hunters were watching eagerly as the sands rapidly approached.

"Look, there's the Great Desert!" Snow said, pointing towards the nearing desert.

"Well, no duh, genius," someone nearby replied. Wes turned and saw that the Gem Sisters were standing close by, laughing amongst themselves as Snow's face flushed red. Frost stepped between his sister and the group of huntresses protectively, immediately causing them to quiet down and look away; his presence seemed more than enough to shut anyone up, more so now than any time before.

"…Anyways, what's this surprise? If we don't slow down, this ship's gonna crash!" Viper said, a bit concerned. "And I don't feel like walking across the Great Desert to Loc Lac!"

A loud groaning sound suddenly reverberated from the deck behind them. All the hunters waiting on the bow of the ship turned in surprise as several large wooden structures began to slide out from the ship's deck! Wes watched in surprise as the thick boards slowly extended out and shook the entire ship as they locked into place. More extensions lowered from the edges of the additions, slightly skimming the water as they neared the liquid's surface. By now, the ship was about to beach, and everyone on board braced themselves for a rough crash!

But it never came. The ship seamlessly transferred from ocean to sand with little more than a slight jolt. The support structures on the sides of the ship kept it from rolling over and crashing, making it run as smoothly as the finest sandship ever created. Wes let out a short, surprised laugh, being the first to recover. "Well, how about that! This thing's a flippin showboat too!"

"And can you see how fast it's going?!" Viper replied, joining him. "I'd never have thought there'd be a ship this big that could move so quickly!"

"The city's already in sight, too!" Snow added. It was true: the hunting capital was just rising over the horizon, still barely a speck, but it was growing larger by the second. "At this rate, we'll be there in no time!"

"You got that right! Man, I haven't been there in years!" Wes remarked enthusiastically. Frost stood beside him and grunted a bit, as if in agreement. "You haven't been there either?"

"Not since we were a bit younger, no," Snow answered quickly. "We've mostly just lived in the Tundra."

"Guess that means you both must be pretty good at giving the cold shoulder!" Viper joked. The others gave him irritated sighs in reply. "What, no takers?"

"Just give it a rest, alright?" Wes said, giving him a bemused smile.

"Hey, blondie!" Wes turned to face his addresser with an irritated expression.

_That nickname is really getting on my nerves… _"I thought I told you not to call me that, Ruby."

"We'll call you what we want," Emerald remarked, joining the red haired girl. "But listen, we've got a bit of a bet for you."

"And that is?"

"None of us really believe you're as good as you say you are. So, we want you to prove it," Amethyst elaborated.

"They tried the same thing on me, Wes," Viper whispered. "Course, I won then, so you should be fine."

"…Alright, what's your game?" the dual sword user answered. The girls looked between themselves, quietly discussing a plan.

"Alright, here's what we've decided," Ruby said after moment. "You told us that you single handedly brought down two Raths in a bit under ten minutes, right? Well, we have a similar idea in mind."

Wes hesitated for a moment, thinking the girls were going to sic actual monsters on him. _Where would this ship even be able to hold two monsters of that size? _

"Oh, don't worry; it's not actual monsters, Wes," Sapphire said. "Just listen to us, and we'll tell you." He glanced back and saw Viper and Snow give him confident, approving gestures before turning back to face the group.

"Alright, fine. Show me whatcha got."

The group made their way back across the deck and to the stern, behind the wheel. Dustin tipped his hat at Wes as he passed. Two tall, burly men stood there as well, cracking their knuckles as the dual blade user approached. He recognized both as hunters named Curt and John. Both wielded heavy weapons, making their physiques particularly imposing.

"So, you say you could bring down two monsters easily while on your own? So, let's see if you can do the same with these two in here!" Emerald said. "If you can beat these guys in a fist fight, then we'll believe you."

"This doesn't really seem like such of a substitute for a pair of Raths, y'know…" Viper commented.

"Yeah, I don't see how this'll prove how good of a hunter Wes is," Snow added skeptically. Wes raised a hand to gesture them to be quiet.

"They want to watch me beat the shit out of these punks, then let 'em. Like I said, I learned from the best; this'll take me three minutes, if that. But I think I'd like a bit more than just your collective respect for this, ladies," he said smugly.

"…What do you want from us if you win…?" Amethyst replied uneasily.

Wes took a moment to think about what he could get from a bet before settling on an idea. "Alright, if –and when- I win, all of you have to pony up a thousand gold and kiss my boots. That sound good?"

"Oh… Oh! Well, ehm… I guess…" The purple haired woman seemed a bit flustered for some reason, but Emerald quickly stepped forward.

"I won't kiss your feet, you asshole! Why would we ever agree to that?!"

"Seems like you're worried he'll win, Emmy!" Viper teased, laughing as she began to angrily cuss at him.

"Make it five hundred each, and you've got a deal," Ruby replied with a short sigh. "On the off chance that you actually win this bet, I don't feel like losing that much money to you."

"But… Ruby, shouldn't he have to do something for us if he loses?" Sapphire remarked, giving him a devilish smirk.

"Good point, Saph. Alright blondie, if you lose this bet, then you'll have to do… something for us… Any of you have an idea?"

"Well, we could make him bring us food," Emerald replied.

"Nah, how about we make him have to do whatever we say for a day?" Amethyst said. "That way, we won't have to really think about it now."

"I guess that sounds good," Sapphire agreed. "So, you win, we kiss your feet. We win, you have to do whatever we say for a full day. Deal?"

"Deal. And don't forget, when I win, you also owe me five hundred gold, each." Wes unsheathed his dual blades and handed them to Viper before approaching the two hunters. The designated fighting area was a medium sized square surrounded by railings on all sides to keep the combatants inside. The two hunters grinned and laughed mockingly as he stepped up. Some sailors had joined the hunters watching as well, cheering and making bets with each other on who would win.

"So, you decided that you wanted to get pulverized after all!" Curt mocked. John sneered as well, trying to look more intimidating.

"I dunno, I think the punk wants to get himself killed, man. Either way, I'm happy to oblige!"

"If you two are done threatening each other, can we get on with this? I've got a bet to win," Wes taunted, smirking as the two hunters faces' reddened with anger as they realized he had just insulted them right back.

"Shut your trap, punk! I'll show you a bet!" John threw a slow, strong punch at the hunter, which Wes effortlessly dodged. The dual blade user retaliated with a couple swift jabs to the man's gut and a quick uppercut, causing John to stumble back. Curt took his place, swinging more quickly than his partner, but with less force. Wes blocked a few of his jabs before kicking the man square in the chest, knocking him back slightly before following up with a spinning roundhouse kick to the side of his head that sent the man to the floor. Wes heard some of the spectators gasp in surprise and whistle in amazement at the quick move.

_I'll give 'em more to remember than that! _ John had recovered by then, charging at Wes from across the deck. Wes stood his ground before grabbing the charging man's shoulder, pulling himself over his back and rolling over the other hunter effortlessly. He dealt a swift kick to the still downed Curt, knocking the hunter aside before spinning around and punching John across the face. The hunter was stunned by the swift jab, allowing Wes to grab him by the collar and deal a powerful headbutt to his forehead. John clutched his head in pain as he stumbled back, and the dual blade wielder dropped him with a straight clothesline to the neck, knocking the man into a dazed heap on the floor.

A few footsteps behind him drew his attention away from his incapacitated adversary, and Wes quickly rolled to the side to avoid Curt's lunging punch. The man cursed in frustration before following after the dual blade user. Wes easily deflected a few more punches before striking the man in the gut and across the head in retaliation. Following up quickly, Wes grabbed the man's arm and, twisting his arm over his shoulder, flung the hunter over his back and through the air, landing him right on top of his partner. He soon pushed himself up again, but the weight of his body landing on him had rendered John incapacitated.

Curt grumbled in frustration before again engaging Wes, exchanging a few punches with each other. "Looks like you learned a bit, huh?" Wes remarked smugly after shoving the hunter back again, not showing a hint of exhaustion.

"Shut up, kid… I'm gonna wipe that damn smirk off your face!" He quickly closed the distance with Wes and attempted to strike him with a feint jab; the dual blade user easily saw the move coming though, blocking the strike with his forearm. A slight twinkle appeared in his blue eye, and instinct took over as Wes kneed Curt in the gut. Without breaking stride, Wes punched him across the face once, twice, three times, before finishing the man off with a fourth, more powerful jump punch, knocking him to the ground not far from where John lay across the deck. After several moments, the pair stopped trying to get to their feet and conceded the fight to Wes.

The others stared in amazement as the hunter walked over to them, not a single bead of sweat on his brow. "What? You guys look like you just saw me beat the shit out of those guys... Wait, you did!" Wes joked, laughing a bit as he got his swords back.

"First climbing, now fist fighting? Just where did you learn all this?" Viper asked, amazed. A wide grin crossed his face a moment later. "And when can you teach me some of them moves?"

"Lessons cost fifty gold per hour," the dual blade user replied sarcastically. "Seventy-five with disarming methods."

"Hey, Wes, aren't you forgetting something?" Snow asked, gesturing towards the four women who were quietly trying to creep away from them. Before they got far though, Frost stepped in front of them with his arms crossed, glaring down on them with a cold stare through his rather intimidating helmet. The four groaned a bit, knowing they had been caught and that they had to uphold their end of the bargain.

"Oh, right, thanks for reminding me. I think you all owe my boots some lip service, and try not to get any make-up on the leather; these are brand new!"

* * *

Not even a half hour later, the hunters began disembarking from the immense sandship that was now docked at a special shipyard inside of Loc Lac's walls, specially built for the _Righteous Law_. Fortunately, Wes had packed lightly, so there wasn't much he had to take off the ship. He chuckled a bit seeing two of the Gem sisters arguing with a Guild officer about offloading all of their equipment.

"Yo, Wes! Wait up a sec!" Viper said, jogging up to join him. "You weren't plannin' on leavin' me back there, were you? And here I thought we were friends!"

"Yeah, sorry about bailing out like that. I really didn't think it would have been a good idea to stay around for much longer anyways; chances are the Gem sisters are already plotting their revenge!" Wes replied a bit derisively. Viper snickered at the remark.

"Don't I know it. Still, what other surprises do you got? First, you can climb like a champ, next, you're able to beat the crap out of two veteran hunters without even breaking a sweat!"

"Again, like I said, I learned from the best." Wes glanced back, getting an odd feeling that they were being watched. Sure enough, he noticed a head of green hair farther back behind them. "Heads up, I think they're onto us."

"Ah, let it be. I doubt there's much they can do anyways. Not like they're gonna try and kill you over that; we're all on the same side here!"

"Yeah, I guess you're right. So, think we oughtta head inside the building? I think that's supposed to be headquarters," Wes said, motioning towards a large, multi-story tower with a large emblem emblazoned upon the façade. It looked brand new, as if it had been finished only a few days ago. It was actually one of the only buildings nearby the shipyard; it seemed an entire portion of a city district had been set aside for the sole purpose of acting as the Master Corps' base of operations. A high wall had been built around the area, with a large gate leading into the inner city a few hundred yards away from the building. There were several statues of hunters decorating the grounds before the building as well, each in a different pose and holding a different kind of weapon. They were all expertly chiseled; each one was stunningly lifelike, and looked as though they would suddenly walk away to hunt an epic beast. They all had plaques set before them as well, telling about the hunters whose visage they resembled.

"Looks like this has been planned for a really long time…" Viper remarked, gazing at the statues and the building.

"Indeed it has," a voice behind them said. Wes and Viper both spun around to face the man behind them, startled; neither had heard him approach. Wes noticed his black Guild uniform first, then his piercing crimson eyes.

"You're… the Corps Head, right? Balestra?" Viper asked, still somewhat surprised.

"It's Sir Balestra to you, boy. It'd be in both of your best interests to remember that," the man coldly replied. He looked between both of them sternly, as if trying to look inside their very souls, all the while keeping his hands behind his back in a very formal manner. He seemed to take particular interest in Wes, though, resting his gaze on the young hunter. "Ah, so you're the boy with the mismatched eyes… I've read great things about you, and I trust that your skills will be very beneficial in the assignments I have for you."

"…Exactly what kind of work does this refer to?" Wes asked, a bit warily. Now that he was speaking directly to the man, he noted the Balestra was extremely difficult to read. Between his crimson eyes and the scar over his right cheek, he seemed very ominous. The black uniform did little to help.

"Were you not paying attention to my speech? Typical of a child… It would be far easier for you to learn through experience than another lecture. Do realize I noted everyone you've both been associating with recently, so I know who you'll potentially work better with. Conversely, I know who will be the most problematic for you to get along with, so do not test me, boy."

"Doesn't seem like the most motivational speech, if you ask me," Viper remarked.

"I wasn't trying to be motivational; I was informing you both of what you should be prepared for. This will not be anything like your standard hunting jobs; what you experience will change you forever, be it for better or for worse. So, with this, I bid you good day." Without another word, the Corps Head turned and left the pair of hunters, heading towards the tall building before them.

"Well, that was… weird…" Wes remarked, watching the man as he went and noting how his stance remained roughly the same as it was when he had been addressing them.

"Yeah, no kidding. You'd think he'd be a bit, I dunno, nicer to us? Seemed more like a threat to me."

"Same here. Come on, no use just standing outside all day. Let's head inside."

"Right behind ya."

Wes and Viper jogged up to the front of the building and joined the other hunters who were entering. Wes had a hard time seeing over all the hunters congregating at the doors, despite his relatively tall stature, but was still able to spy Frost walk inside due to the long sword user's even taller height. No doubt Snow was with him as well; the two seemed practically inseparable. Still, there were far more hunters now than there had been on the ship. _They must have arrived on separate ships or come from the city._ It wasn't much longer before the dual blade user and the archer made their way into the structure as well.

Right from the start, Wes could tell that this was going to be like a second home to him. The entrance chamber was decorated with red flags hanging from the walls, displaying the Guild emblem in black print. A red carpet led from the door to the stairs on either end of the back of the room, lying over a light brown, recently polished wooden floor. Just like there would be in a tavern, there was a large board on the wall behind a counter between the two flights of stairs. A women in a blue Guild uniform stood behind the counter and smiled warmly at the hunters as they entered; the front chamber was large enough to accommodate all of them and still have plenty of room left over to spare.

"Welcome to your home away from home, hunters!" the woman said cheerfully. "I'll be your liaison for your employment in the Master Corps; my name's Sally, but you can all call me Sal. Now then, first order of business is room assignments! I'm sure that something you'll all like to hear is that everyone gets a room to themselves. All of you received envelopes containing a pair of keys; one opens your cabin on board the _Righteous Law, _and one opens your room here. It should be a simple task to find the room you were assigned; it's engraved on the key and the front of the door.

"The building is divided into ten levels, counting the one you're on now; this is level zero, the ground floor. As you can probably guess, each floor is a higher level than the last. Levels one through seven are all set aside for you, and any floor higher is reserved for Guild meetings and officers. Each room is fully furnished, has a bathroom, and is stocked with all the essentials you'll need for your stay here. There are already a multitude of hunters who have settled into their rooms, so all in all, the total number of hunters we have employed in the Master Corps is eighty. I do believe that's about it, so again, welcome to the Master Corps, and thank you all for accepting your invitations!"

"Hot damn, this sounds way better than my old hut!" Viper whistled, impressed at the description. "Let's see here… I'm up on level six. What about you, Wes?"

"Looks like I'm on level seven, lucky me," he replied, holding up a key engraved with a seventy-seven. "Think they built an elevator too?"

"Actually, I think there's something here that works like that," the archer pointed out gesturing at an open door that led to a small chamber filling up with hunters. "…But chances are, we won't make it on this time."

"Ah, whatever, not like a flight of stairs ever killed anyone. C'mon, let's check out these rooms of ours, eh?" The pair began to make their way up the stairs, ascending higher and higher up the tall building. Viper stopped the floor below Wes, his room being on that level, while the dual blade user made it up the final flight of stairs and walked towards his room. Before he opened the door though, he noticed he was being watched. "Y'know, if you're gonna hide, at least do it right."

He watched as Sapphire stepped out from behind a large potted plant, smiling a little bit. "Wow, you've got a pretty sharp eye, don'tcha?"

"I've been told that, yeah. What's up? You're not here to try and get back at me for earlier, are you? Cause I won that bet fair and square."

"No, no, nothing like that; my room's on this floor," she explained, pointing at a door with a seventy-two engraved on it. "I just heard you say you were on this floor too, so I waited for you up here."

"…What, you're stalking me now? Jeez, we met one day ago!" he snarked, chuckling as her face flushed red.

"No, I- What?! Do you seriously think that?!"

"It's called sarcasm, cobalt head. Are the others on this floor too? I don't want to have to wake up every morning to them trying to get kill me."

"No, they're all on the floors below this one. But who're you calling cobalt head, blondie?!" she retorted, though it didn't seem as angry as it did playful.

"Well, what did I say about calling me that?" Wes shot back. "Last I checked, blonde actually made sense on someone's head. Blue, not so much."

"…Not like I had much choice in the matter, but whatever," she replied with a short sigh. "Alright, I'm going to check out my room. I'll see ya later, Wes!"

"Uh, yeah, sure." He watched as she quickly entered her room and shut the door. _Seems someone's trying to hide something… Ah, whatever, not like it matters much to me anyways. _The dual blade user entered his room and gasped a bit upon seeing just how nice it was. A large white bed canopy bed lay in the center of the room, pushed back against the wooden walls of the room. A fine darkwood desk was pushed into the corner next to the bed, and there was a nightstand on the opposite side of the mattress. Upon checking the desk, Wes found several sheets of paper and some writing utensils. A large window with a red curtain revealed an amazing view of the whole of Loc Lac City, including the massive tusk protruding from the oasis in the center of the city. A door nearby the room's entrance led into a well-stocked bathroom, with a functioning shower, sink, and toilet.

_Wow… if every room's like this, how much did it cost to put this all together? This is stuff they'd normally save for nobles, for crying out loud! _Still, Wes enjoyed his good fortune of having a nice room to relax in, so he didn't complain about it. He got settled in relatively quickly before going to the desk and getting a sheet of paper out and seating himself, beginning to write a letter back home to Moga.

_Dear Ma and Pa,_

_It's hardly been two days and we've already arrived in Loc Lac. I'll tell you, the trip went faster than anything either of you have probably seen. Here's something that'll really surprise you, pa: your old apprentice, Dustin, turned out to be the captain of the ship! Imagine that, eh? _

_So far, it's been better than awesome over here. I just wish I could show you the room I got; it's frickin' huge compared to my old one back there. Don't expect me to move back anytime soon! _

_I've made plenty of fast friends on board as well. There's a bow user named Viper I got to know almost as soon as I boarded, and he seems like a great guy. There are some twins I met from the Tundra named Frost and Snow as well; Frost doesn't say much, but Snow can really talk up a storm! Course, I guess you were kinda right about my eye, too; the ladies love the color. Hell, I already got four kisses!_

_Oh, and one other thing; turns out all those hand to hand fighting lessons paid off, pa. I got to wipe the floor with a pair of thugs earlier, and I made a pretty good sum of money off a bet too. I'll send some home to you two so you'll be able to feed yourselves at night._

_I'll be sure to send more letters with updates on how things are going over here. I imagine my first assignment ought to be coming up soon, so I'll definitely have a lot more to write about next time. Until then, stay sharp, and good hunting!_

_Wes_

No sooner had he written the last line when he heard a knock on his door, and got up to see who it was. "Yo, Wes, it's me!" Viper called from the other side of the door. "Frost, Snow and I were gonna take a walk around the city. You want to come along?"

"Yeah, sure, just a sec," he answered, sealing the letter in an envelope and addressing it. He carried the note out along with a small pouch full of coins that was to be sent with it.

"Writin' letters already? Don't tell me you're homesick!" Viper laughed jokingly.

"Not at all; the room I got here is about five times bigger than the one back home. I just promised I'd send letters every now and then. But dude, get this; one of the Gem sisters is right across from me," Wes said, motioning towards Sapphire's door. "Think she might try and kill me?"

"Nah, I think the blue haired one is pretty safe, actually," the archer replied as they walked down the stairs. "It's Emerald you've got to watch out for; she really likes to hold grudges. Amethyst is kinda iffy, and Ruby doesn't seem too bad, but still, you're lucky you've got Sapphire instead of one of them."

"I take it you got one of them on your floor?"

"Two, actually. Amethyst and Emerald. Just my luck, eh?"

"Hey, cheer up; you got a choice between 'em, don'tcha?"

"Ah, shut it."

The two finally made it to the ground floor where the twins were waiting for them; both were still armored and carried their weapons, like Wes and Viper did. "Hey guys! What floors did they put you on?" Snow asked, greeting them.

"I'm on seven, and Viper's on six," Wes replied. "What about you two?"

"We're both on level four. Unfortunately, we ran into Ruby on our way up. Turns out she's on our floor too."

"You think that's bad?!" Viper replied. "I got two of 'em, for the love of-!"

"Alright, alright, calm down, bow-boy. Let's get going," Wes laughed, heading towards the door. Viper gave him a slightly irritated look, but followed after the dual blade user along with Snow and Frost. The four stepped out into the courtyard below the desert sun and made their way toward the gate leading into the city. Some other hunters had the same idea as they did and were going out into the city as well.

"Wow, it's really hot here," the huntress remarked, wiping her brow. "I guess I'm too used to the Tundra." Frost grunted to signify his agreement with the statement. Still, it didn't seem like even the heat would make him take his helmet off.

"Eh, it could be worse. It's a bit dry for me," Viper commented. "How 'bout you, blondie?"

"Don't you start with that too!" the dual blade user snapped. "What the hell's wrong with having blonde hair anyways? It's not like I'm the only one here with that color hair."

"Well, until we get more to go off of, that's your nickname," Snow laughed. Viper chuckled a bit while Wes sighed in response.

"We could just leave it at Wes, y'know."

"But where's the fun in that?"

The four continued to make their way through the city, browsing nearby shops and taverns while exploring the district a bit. Throughout the area, The Master Corps building was always in sight, being the tallest structure in the surrounding area, which mostly consisted of one to two story houses and shops. Wes dropped the letter off at a post office nearby the armory; there were plenty of Felyne couriers he could've asked, but his father was allergic to Felyne fur, and that was one of the negative traits the dual sword user had inherited from him. Before too long, the sun began to sink lower over the horizon, and the four decided to head back.

"Well, I think this is already turning out to be a great idea," Snow said, clearly very pleased with all she had seen. "The shops are all well stocked, the smith is a master artisan, there's plenty of good restaurants nearby… I couldn't ask for anything better!" Frost nodded in agreement with his sister's statement.

"Not to mention the area seems to be pretty nice," Wes said, looking around. "Everything's clean, no one seems too worried about crime-" No sooner had the last word left his lips than a man dressed in dark clothes with a face covering ran between the hunters, snatching the dual blade user's wallet as he went!

"You were saying?" Viper said quickly. Almost immediately, Wes took off after the thief.

"Hey, get the hell back here!" The hunter chased the man through the streets, shoving his way past the people who inadvertently got in the way as he pursued the thief. Wes chased him for several minutes, following doggedly despite the thief's attempts to lose him. Wes noticed the man turn a corner sharply, and thinking fast, Wes jumped and caught a sign above a shop door at the same corner, using the sign to swing around the turn quickly before letting go and landing with a roll. Wes immediately broke into a full out sprint down the alley he had chased the man to, quickly catching up to the tiring thief and tackling him to the ground.

"No, no! Please, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't want to steal, but I had to!" the thief begged, almost hysterically. "You have to understand, my family lives in this district; we have almost nothing…" Wes stood up, picking his wallet up as well before glancing off to the side. Two small children were hiding in the shadows not ten feet from where he stood. Looking around more, the hunter noted that the chase had taken him much farther than he thought; he was well into the eastern district of Loc Lac, which was widely known as the poorest section of the city. "Please, they're all I have…"

The hunter looked down on the man groveling at his feet before extending a hand out to him. "…C'mon, get up. No one deserves to live like this." The thief looked up at him gratefully and took his hand, and Wes helped the man to his feet. The dual blade user opened the wallet before handing the man a decent sum of coins. "Here, it's not exactly a fortune, but it's still something. Use it to try and get a better life for your family, alright?"

"Th… Thank you sir! Oh, thank you! You don't understand how much this means to us!"

"Hey, don't mention it. But like I said, it's only a start. Don't live your life getting handouts; try to improve your life enough so that you can give 'em instead."

"I promise you, sir, I will. Might I ask for your name though? I'd like to repay you one day, if at all possible."

"You don't have to, but I appreciate it. And I'm Wes, good to meet you," he replied, shaking the man's hand.

"My name is Adrian, and I am forever in your debt, Sir Wes," the man said, bowing slightly in gratitude.

"Alright, you don't have to go that far with it. I've gotta head back now, but remember what I told you, alright?"

"I will, sir, I will! Oh, thank you for everything!" Wes smiled before turning and walking away, giving Adrian a thumbs up as he went. After rounding the corner at the shop he had turned at, Wes realized just how lost he was; the chase had spanned at least two districts.

_Great… good thing HQ is big enough to be seen from any of the nearby areas… _Wes turned towards the shop and, taking a running start, propelled himself up the wall of the stone building, grabbing onto a wooden post used to support the roof before pulling himself onto the dry stone roof. He looked far into the distance at the Master Corps HQ building as the sun sank below the wall behind it, painting the city in a dull yellowish-red glow. The hunter looked about the city, taking in all that he could, amazed by just how large the whole world seemed now that he was on his own. With a look of determination, he leapt from the roof he stood on to the building adjacent to it and began sprinting across the buildings towards HQ, making it back before the sun fully set.

"Ah, there he is!" Viper said upon seeing him return. "You get your wallet back? Give that thief the old what-for?"

"I guess you could say I gave him something alright," Wes answered with a short laugh.

"Well, at least you got it back; you were gone for a while," Snow remarked.

"Well, I'm back now. What more is there to say? C'mon, I'd say it's late enough, and I'd like to get some shut eye in these new beds we got. I get the feeling the real job's gonna start soon…"

* * *

**_Author Notes: _**_Whew, so far this is the longest chapter to anything I've ever written!__ More than 10,000 words this time around, but I expect some of my later chapters are going to be even more lengthy. Like I said, I'm going all out with this one! I do hope you all can see some noticeable differences between the new main characters and the old ones, though. Speaking of, as I'm sure you already guessed, the old characters are still very much involved in the story, but you won't hear too much about them... yet._

**_Playing: MH3U, AC4, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance_**

**_Listening to: The Offspring, Wolfmother, Avenged Sevenfold_**

**_Watching: Red vs Blue, RWBY, The Walking Dead_**

**_Reading: YOUR MIND! _**


	3. The Games Begin

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 3 –The Games Begin…

Wes awoke early the next morning, feeling very well rested; he couldn't remember sleeping so well in a long time. He pushed himself out of bed, heading over to the bathroom and washing off before garbing himself in the suit his father had given to him. Feeling satisfied with his appearance, the hunter grabbed his dual swords and left his room, making his way down to the ground floor. It seemed he was the first one up; the only other person in sight was Sally the Guild liaison, who was finishing organizing some papers on her desk. She noticed him as he walked down the last flight of stairs, giving him a warm smile.

"Well, someone's up early! You got somewhere to be, hunter?"

"Nah, I just like to get going earlier. I don't really like to be late, so I figure being early is smarter," he replied.

"That's a good way of looking at it! Most hunters I knew liked to sleep in late when off of the job," she said. "Guess you don't take after your father in that regard; he was late to almost every reunion we invited him to!"

"You know my pa too?"

"Of course I do, Wes," the woman laughed. "Dustin told me about you yesterday! You've got your parents' eyes; both of them, it seems!"

"Yeah, it definitely sets me apart from everyone else, that's for sure. But tell me, how do you know so much about hunters?" Wes asked. "I mean, being a liaison and all."

"Actually, believe it or not, I used to be a hunter myself. I was a pretty crack-shot with a bowgun, but after Dustin's injury, I decided to retire too. It just didn't feel right hunting without him, if that makes any sense."

"Ah, so I'm guessing that makes you the fourth hunter in their group? I already met Dustin, Connor, and Lyle yesterday on the ride here. They said they were all scouted; same for you?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact. I moved up through the ranks of filing papers and management issues faster than I did with my hunter's rank, truth be told," the liaison replied with a short chuckle. "Connor had always been interested in medicine, but he decided to really pursue it after Dustin's injury too. He's a pretty amazing doctor, I'll tell you. As for Lyle… He's always been a bit of a pain, but he's a good guy. He stuck with hunting the longest out of the four of us; he's technically still hunting, but he's working as security chief for us right now."

"Seems you all found a spot for yourselves," Wes said, taking a seat on a bench beneath one of the red Guild flags.

"I guess you could say that, yeah," Sal remarked, laughing to herself. She definitely seemed happy with what she was doing, at least.

"So, about the job… Exactly when do we start with these 'assignments'? Balestra seemed to think it'd be a pick-up-and-do-it job for us, but I didn't catch much of his speech."

"Well, it is true that the first assignments we were given came in today, but there's only a couple. Plus, all the hunters are pre-picked for each one, so I'm not sure how likely it is that you're one of them. Still, I kinda like you, so I'll let you take a look at the jobs," the liaison answered, pulling out a few sheets of paper from a file and setting them on the table. The dual blade user got to his feet and walked over to them, reading over each one carefully.

_Job Assignment #3: Volcanic Activity; hunting_

_Several monsters have been sighted around the Volcano G-Rank area. Reports indicate that an Agnaktor, a Rathalos, an Uragaan, and a Stygian Zinogre are embroiled in a turf war with each other, and there is little chance for it to end in a timely manner. Previous three hunter intervention attempts have met with failure. _

_Urgency: Crucial_

_Monster presence: Ensured_

_Hunters assigned: Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald, Amethyst_

_Guess the girl squad has a rough assignment ahead of them… _Wes thought to himself, moving on to the next paper.

_Job Assignment #2: Desert Desertion; hunting_

_A Sand Barioth has been attacking merchant caravans for the past several weeks, cutting off major supply lines to the city. Numerous hunting parties have been sent in to deal with the threat, but every attempt has failed. Target monster is said to exhibit strange habits unseen in other creatures of its species, though additional information is unavailable._

_Urgency: Important_

_Monster presence: Known_

_Hunters assigned: Curt, Finch, John, Orlan_

_Curt and John, eh? Wonder if those two have recovered from the beating I gave them? _The hunter chuckled a bit to himself before continuing to the last sheet.

_Job Assignment #1: Southern Island Ruins; Exploration &amp; Retrieval_

_Analysis of the structures in the southern isles indicate that a ruin holding a vast wealth of knowledge important in the furthering of technological advances. State of the ruins is unknown, but they are confirmed to still be intact. At least five relics should be recovered, and more will be met with substantial rewards._

_Side Note: An ancient magma ruby is believed to be located here. Successful location and retrieval of said jewel will double the reward earned._

_Urgency: Important_

_Monster Presence: Potential_

_Hunters assigned: Wes, Snow, Viper, Frost_

Upon seeing his name, Wes immediately grabbed the sheet and read it over a bit more closely. "Looks like I do have an assignment after all," he remarked, taking note of his friends' names on the list as well. "But what does this Urgency section mean? And monster presence?"

"Well, lucky you, looks like you've got job number one! Let's see here… Basically, urgency describes how important the assignment is. We split urgency up into four levels: Unimportant, Necessary, Important, and Crucial. If an assignment is crucial, it means it's extremely important to not only complete ASAP, but it's extremely rewarding as well. However, it's also far more dangerous than anything else we have here. Don't worry about your job though; you have an exploration assignment, so there shouldn't be much too really stop you."

"I'm guessing that's what monster presence means then?"

"Spot on. We split that one up into four categories too: Low, Potential, Known, and Ensured. Basically, through our research, we determined if large monsters would be present in the area during the jobs. Some were pretty obvious, but others... well, we could only do the best with what we had. If more than one monster has been sighted, then the assignment will have an Ensured presence."

"Alright, I think I understand," Wes replied. "Kind of a lot of sorting for a few jobs though."

"Tell me about it. Everything is predetermined, so the choice of hunters isn't always going to be the same. You might be with your friends today, but in another day or so you could be partnered with your worst enemy, or at least, as bad of an enemy as you could make here."

"Doesn't seem to make sense; isn't it easier to work with people you know? Why split it up so-" Wes's stomach cut him off as it growled rather loudly, embarrassing him a bit while Sal laughed in amusement.

"Missed a meal, didja?"

"…Yeah, kinda. There was an incident with my wallet yesterday, and I forgot to get dinner."

"Well, not to worry," a voice said from behind. Wes turned to see Dustin enter the building through the front doors, carrying a large bag with him. The captain walked set the bag on the counter and gave Sal a quick kiss on the cheek before beginning to open it up. Whatever was inside smelled delicious and only served to make Wes' mouth water more. "Don't worry, Wes, I bought plenty. Help yourself." Several individually wrapped packages containing fresh made food were inside, and the dual blade user hungrily grabbed one before working on unwrapping his breakfast.

Before he had gotten far though, he heard a door far upstairs open and immediately slam shut, and several rapid footsteps thumping down the stairs. Hardly a few seconds later, Viper stormed into the front hall, looking about crazily; he looked as though he had just climbed out of bed, wearing dark green night clothes and with very unkempt hair.

"Viper? What the hell-?"

"Where's the food!?" he demanded. Seeing the bag, he immediately went and grabbed a few packages before tearing the wrapping off the meal and devouring the entire thing in a matter of three bites. Wes hadn't even opened his food as the archer dug into his next meal. "Hmm? Oh, hey, Wes."

"...Hey? Dude, you just barreled down here, stole some food, ate it before anyone could react, and now you're saying 'hey'."

"Don't judge me, I like to eat." Sally and Dustin had merely watched the exchange with confused expressions before shrugging and getting some of the meals out for themselves.

"Well, it doesn't matter much, but Lyle's going to pitch a fit about getting a smaller breakfast," Dustin sighed. "Didn't think I'd ever meet someone who likes food more than him. Except maybe for Hugh, but they are related…"

"Viper, it looks like we got the first job assignment available," Wes said, finishing his breakfast sandwich and showing the paper to the archer. Viper grabbed the sheet out of his hand and read it over quickly, nodding as he scanned the lines.

"Seems easy enough to get. And the twins are coming along too; go figure. Still, I was hoping more for a hunt, not an adventure into some musky old booby-trapped ruin."

"Y'never know, there still could be something nearby. Maybe there's a monster waiting for us there. Or maybe it's haunted!" the dual blade user joked.

"Want me to give him the low-down too, Wes?" Sally asked, chuckling a little as she saw the archer give them both confused looks.

"What's she talkin' about, bud?"

"Nothing, I'll tell you later. Dustin, when do we leave for this assignment?"

"A couple hours from now. There are a few more ships under the Corps that you'll be using, though. The _Righteous Law _isn't exactly a vessel used for hunts and assignments; it's more of a secondary, mobile base. Transportation to assignments is what the airship field is for; those ships are specifically designed for speed, so they're even faster than the _Law_."

"Well, why don't we wake those two up and get a move on?" Viper asked, eagerly getting to his feet. "I mean, come on, why wait on those two if we're both set to go, am I right?"

"…Not really, Viper. Haven't you even taken a look at yourself?" Wes replied, smirking as the archer looked down at the night clothing he was still garbed in.

"…Well, crap. I'll be right back." The dual blade user chuckled as the archer hurried upstairs again to get ready.

"Well, if there's one trait I see you've inherited from York, it's the ability to make friends with the strangest people," Dustin laughed. "Alright, I'm gonna take the rest of these up to the others. I'll catch you later, hun." With that, the captain got on the elevator with the rest of the food, giving Wes a confident smile as the door before him closed and the machine took him to the upper floors.

"Well, I can see why he's so friendly with you right from the start, kiddo," Sal said with a smile. "I can really see how you're related to York."

Wes sighed, getting a little irritated that his father was once again becoming a part of the conversation. "Y'know, I'm going to make people hear about me because of my skills, not my pa's. Then I won't be hearing about him as much; this is my story!"

"I'm sure you'll surpass him," the liaison replied with a chuckle.

"Well, I think I'm going to take a look around outside a bit while I'm waiting for everyone else to get up. Get to know the area better, y'know? Thanks for the info, Sal. I'll see you around."

"Anytime, Wes! I'm always happy to help! Have a good time!"

The hunter stepped outside, taking in the cool morning air; the sun hadn't risen high enough to completely shine over the walls of Loc Lac, meaning the desert heat hadn't reached the lower halves of the buildings. He took a walk towards the airfields. The previous day, the area had been empty, and he had ignored the space, but now there were about a dozen ships all lined up perfectly in a row on the field. Each had a black blimp with red sails, and a black Guild standard emblazoned upon the top sail. None of them were particularly large, meant only for quick transportation.

_Wonder how they got all these here without making a noise… _he wondered, gazing at the ships from a distance.

He turned to head into the city before stopping quickly; he had almost walked straight into one of the statues. He paused, however, feeling something... familiar about the stature, and looked up to inspect the sculpture more closely. _I recognize that suit,__ but it isn't standard hunting gear… wait, could this be…?_ The hunter's suspicions were confirmed as he read the plaque below the proud statue, and he laughed as he looked up at the likeness of his father again.

**York**

**A Hunter Whose Unorthodox Choices in Equipment and Weapons, Along with Technological Inventions, Revolutionized the Modern Hunting World and Became Known as The Finest Hunter of His Generation.**

"Can't say it looks quite like him now, but I can definitely see what the artist was going for," Wes chuckled to himself. "Just you watch, pa... I'll show you just how much better I can be than you were."

"Hey, Wes! Whatcha doin' over there!?" The hunter turned towards the front of the building, where Viper stood outside the doors. "C'mon, the twins are about ready, and Balestra wants to give us a quick sendoff speech!"

"Be right there!" Wes called back. He gave one last look at the statue before heading back to the building and going inside.

"That rock look like someone you know?" Viper joked, walking with him.

"Just a little, yeah," Wes replied sarcastically.

The pair joined Frost and Snow, who both stood waiting in the front hall for the Corps Head to arrive. The twins had their weapons with them, but Wes noted that instead of holding the scabbard across his back, Frost kept the long sword sideways on his belt, similar to how Snow held her short sword. It was a rather unusual way of holding the blade, but Wes knew that he couldn't ask Frost about his reasoning. Before they could even greet each other though, the elevator doors opened, and Balestra stepped out of the small chamber. He gave them all a long, thoughtful stare before finally speaking.

"And so it begins… I feel obliged to inform you all that setting up this endeavor was a very long, arduous process," he said, addressing the hunters who stood before him. "I've spent the last decade campaigning for the development of an elite group meant to tackle the most difficult of tasks and to help keep our advancements into the future running smoothly. I do not wish to see it crippled just as it begins to rise, do you understand? This is a fairly simple task… I expect nothing but perfection from all of you. So, I bid you- Wes, Viper, Frost, and Snow- good luck, and good day."

The four watched silently as the man silently returned to the elevator and returned to the top floor, listening to the quiet sound of the machinery within moving the platform up.

"…He's not exactly a motivational speaker, is he?" Snow commented, clearly confused by Balestra's tone.

"I said the same thing," Viper said with a quick shrug. "Guess we'd better get going. Don't want to keep his lordship waiting, right?"

"Yeah, no kidding."

The four hunters left the building and made their way across the airfield to the one ship that was prepped and ready for takeoff. The pilot was a short, stocky man with a thin mustache and a bald head, and he gave them all a rather strange grin as they all boarded the small ship.

"So, yer all the first ones, eh? Alright, it'd be best fer you all t' head below deck; there're parachutes for you t' put on inside. If ya be hopin' t' make it out of this alive, you'd best grab one as soon as you see it and get it strapped on." The man went inside a closed room around the steering wheel and opened the doors below deck with a lever inside the cabin. The four hunters reluctantly entered the chamber, jumping a little as the door closed and locked behind them.

"Okay, usually I'd say that's a bad sign," Wes commented, and the others nodded in agreement. They saw four bags hung up on the walls, and following the pilot's advice, they strapped the chutes on and waited. There were a few windows which they could look out of, but apart from those there was nothing else to see in the small wooden chamber. Suddenly, the entire ship lurched, almost throwing both Wes and Viper to the ground. Snow almost fell too, but Frost quickly grabbed her arm to stop her, the tall hunter not having budged an inch.

A strong pressure filled the room as the ship took off, quickly ascending high into the air at a speed far faster than anything they had ever seen. It was only about half a minute of flying before the airship had flown over the whole of Loc Lac, turning towards the south and lurching forward again as it picked up even more speed.

"Damn, how can this thing move so fast!?" Viper exclaimed, laughing a bit as he looked out one of the windows at the desert below shifting past.

"**Inferno sacs and Slagtoth Oil, son!" **The hunters jumped at the sound, looking around for the source. Wes saw a tube like object with a wide opening on the end, which seemed to run through the ceiling and above deck. The pilot's voice seemed to echo from within the tube. **"Noticed the communication pipe, eh? I can hear what goes on in there, ya know! Listen up, it'll take maybe twenty minutes t' get t' where we need to be. Once we're above the island, I'll drop you all off. You get a six hour timeframe t' work with. If all goes well, you'll be home in time fer dinner! And if ya finish early, pop a red hunting flare, and I'll be right there! Make sure ya got those chutes on nice and tight; at the height you're droppin' from, you won't survive without it!"**

"We're all set, no worries," Snow answered back. "Guess all that's left to do is wait."

The four waited anxiously to arrive; occasionally, Wes or Snow would try to start up a conversation, but the exchanges were very brief. Viper seemed too tense and excited to care about anything but the job, and Frost simply stood crossing his arms and staring straight ahead. After what seemed like an eternity to the hot-blooded hunters, the pilot's voice sounded again.

"**Alright you four, get ready t' jump! We're right above the island!"**

"Wait, jump? Whattya mean, 'jump'? We're inside the ship!" Wes pointed out, also noting the ship didn't seem to be slowing down whatsoever.

"**I know that, kid! I'm just tellin' ya not to be too surprised! Bon voyage, bucko!" **

Almost as soon as the pilot finished speaking, the floor disappeared from below the hunters; the floor panels had flipped open, spilling the hunters out of the cargo bay!

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" Viper yelled as they all began to plummet wildly towards the island below. "THIS IS HOW THEY DROP US OFF?!"

Wes quickly regained his composure and righted himself in midair, spreading his arms and legs to slow his descent a bit. Viper eventually did the same, while Frost and Snow had done so already. "I guess it works!" the dual blade user shouted back. He had to admit, despite the fact that this was quite possibly the craziest thing he'd ever done in his entire life, it was very enjoyable for Wes. Viper and Snow seemed to start enjoying the view as well, but Frost kept his gaze centered on the island below.

After falling for a few moments, the four opened up their parachutes, immediately slowing their descents to a more leisurely pace and allowing them to drift down the remaining hundred feet to a large clearing on a cliffside. Wes landed first, detaching his parachute before the others and landing with a quick roll to break his fall. Viper did the same, while Snow and Frost landed without removing the chutes until they were safely on the ground. The island looked a lot like the others in the area: tall mountains, deep valleys, and abundant forms of nature all around. Numerous trees lined the edge of the area, while flowers, herbs, and shrubs grew around a shallow stream that ran through the area.

"Any of you see anything that looked like the ruins?" Wes asked, looking at the different paths they could take out of the small clearing. Viper and Snow both shook their heads; they'd been too caught up with the view to remember to check. Frost, though, merely pointed towards a path leading towards the east of the island and began walking towards it. "…I guess he did."

The hunters followed the long sword user as he led them across the small island. There were next to no monsters nearby, aside from a few Altaroth that were bringing some mushrooms back to their nest. The foliage was identical to that of the other surrounding isles; Moga Village was attached to one such land mass, and probably wasn't too far from where they were now.

Eventually, the woods opened up to a long beach that stretched for a few hundred yards in either direction. Farther down the beach, a stone structure could be seen, but couldn't be made out very well.

"You saw that from how high we were?" Viper asked incredulously. "I'm an archer and I couldn't even see that!"

"Frost's always had a good eye. He could find an icicle in a pile of snow if he tried," Snow remarked jokingly. The others laughed as they continued walking towards the structure. For some reason, though, Wes started getting a strange feeling that they weren't nearly as safe as they'd initially thought.

"…Something isn't right here…" he noted, stopping to look about the area. The others stopped as well, turning back to face him.

"What do you mean?" Snow asked cautiously.

"This sand is damp. Look at where the tide is right now: there's no way it could've come in and gone out that quickly. The size of the wet area means that something really big- a leviathan, probably- was here not even ten minutes ago. And look: you can see that the sand was moved a lot around that area. Whatever was here may have jumped into the ocean."

"…Well, damn," Viper commented, taking in all that Wes had described. "Not half bad on the detective work, Sherlock. Do you think it'll come back?"

"It might... then again, maybe we got lucky and it swam away."

"How likely is that?" Snow asked, gazing out towards the sea. "There're only so many leviathans that live in this area…"

Before anyone could answer, a loud splash drew their attention to the coast, where a large blue creature had flung itself from the ocean, through the air and straight towards them! The four instinctively split up to avoid the beast as it slammed into the beach where they had stood moments before, launching sand into the air in every direction as it slid past. Wes recovered quickly and took note of the beast's characteristics as it stopped. _Long, flat neck; dorsal spikes; brownish red horns… Electricity…_

"Looks like this Lagiacrus wants to crash our party!"

"Guess that's as much an answer as anything!" Viper shouted, whipping his bow into a ready position. "Let's have some fun!"

The leviathan quickly spun around to face the hunters as they regrouped, but in doing so caught several arrows in its neck. It growled in anger as electricity began to build up in its dorsal spikes and mouth, and with a short roar, it launched a concentrated ball of lightning at the hunters. Before it reached the four, however, Frost stepped between the projectile and the others, drawing his long sword slightly from its scabbard and holding it up before him.

"Frost, what're you doing!? You can't block that with a long sword!" Wes called out in a mix of surprise, worry, and confusion.

"Don't worry about him, Wes," Snow said with a quick wink. "Just watch." The blast impacted with the masked hunter's sword, and a large bolt of lightning seemed to erupt from the deep blue sword, absorbing the blast into the edge of the blade and dissipating without a trace. Viper and Wes were dumbstruck as Snow giggled a little. "He's modified his sword a lot since he had it made; it has a lot of surprises!"

"Let's talk about your brother and his showing off later, lady," Viper remarked. "We've got a serpent that needs killin', and I've got a quiver full of arrows waiting to do just that!"

The archer broke into a sprint towards the leviathan, nocking several arrows onto the bowstring and pulling back as far as he could. A red flash seemed to form around him, and at that precise moment he flung every arrow in a wide arch towards the Lagiacrus as it prepared another bolt for him. The arrows seemed to turn in midair and throw themselves at the monster's head, burying the arrows into the creature's mouth and closing its gaping maw. The Lagiacrus hadn't enough time to stop its attack, and tried to launch the bolt with its mouth shut! The metal arrows pinning its mouth down conducted the electrical currents the beast had tried to fire, sending the shock through its entire body instead.

While the creature was stunned by the voltage, Wes charged at the beast, drawing one of his dual blades as he neared. The Lagiacrus recovered as he came near, lifting itself up on its hind legs and trying to crush him beneath its bulk. With a fluid side step, Wes dodged out of the way, slashed its neck, and then leapt onto its back! Holding onto one of the beast's dorsal spikes with his free hand, the dual blade user began to slash and stab into the creature's back repeatedly, each strike separating hide from scale and drawing vast amounts of blood from its body. The blade of Wes' sword hardly slowed as it pierced flesh and cleaved spikes, the sharp blade giving off resounding rings of metal against scale with every cut.

The leviathan roared in pain the whole time, shaking its body to try and shake the hunter from its back. The arrows pinning its mouth shut eventually gave way from the Lagiacrus' struggling, separating the roof of its mouth from its jaw. It then began to tense its body up as if to let off a full body electrical attack!

Wes anticipated the creature's intent and leapt off of its back just as easily as he had gotten on, landing with a roll and regaining his footing. However, the attack never came; the beast shook its head in confusion as it tried to release the voltage from its spikes, hardly generating more than a spark. _It must have short circuited itself from the shock of its mouth attack… Who would've guessed? _He pulled himself away from his thoughts and leapt out of the way as the Lagi pushed its back legs into the sand and barreled towards him, kicking up wet sand in all directions as it slid past.

"Wes, you were in the way of my shot! Watch it next time, eh?" Viper called out, loosing an arrow that he had nocked some time ago at the leviathan. The creature had slid to a stop nearby Frost and Snow, and the short-sword-wielding huntress started attacking the Lagiacrus' neck and chest with her icy blade. The huntress moved fluidly, swinging her spiked Barioth sword as if she were embroiled in a graceful, deadly ballet dance. Each slice of her sword was followed by a quick burst of ice, flash-freezing the wounds her sword caused. The Lagiacrus twisted its neck to try and bite the huntress, but she reacted quickly, stepping back and letting the side of its head bounce off of her shield and attacking its neck again. While her attacks didn't seem to do much damage, Snow was completely drawing the creature's attention to herself.

Frost seemed to be holding back away from the fight, though, standing a short distance away, his sword still sheathed but in his grasp all the same. He watched his sister's attacks with a cold focus through his helmet. Viper gave him a questioning look as he nocked another few arrows onto his bow. "Yo, Frosty! You gonna do something, or what?!"

Snow dealt another trio of swift cuts before rolling away as the leviathan swiped at her with its claw. Wes noted that the swift combo the huntress had delivered left behind a triangle shaped wound on the Lagiacrus' neck. As Snow rolled away, Frost suddenly broke out into a swift sprint towards the beast, bringing his still sheathed blade to his side and gripping top of the scabbard tightly. The beast began to lunge at the long sword user with its bloodied maw, but Frost effortlessly dodged, leaving the triangle shaped cut on its neck right above him.

With a quick spin, Frost drew his long sword with a seemingly explosive force, releasing the blue blade with unparalleled speed and slicing clean through the whole of the leviathan's neck! In the same move, the long sword user sheathed his blade and dropped into a crouch, and the Lagiacrus' body went limp and collapsed behind him, while its severed head fell to the beach before him.

"…I guess that's something all right…" Viper commented, dumbstruck at the abrupt end to the fight. "How the hell did he pull that off?"

"Like I said, Frost's sword is pretty special," Snow said as the four regrouped.

"Special?" Wes asked, gazing at the dismembered head of the Lagiacrus. "There's got to be more to it than that. He took its entire freakin' head off!"

"How about we talk about it after the job," she replied. "It'd take too long to explain, and we'd better get those treasures before the ship comes back to get us."

"Ah, come on! We've got time! Who wants to work on their tan?" Viper asked jokingly, pulling some of his arrows free from the leviathan's corpse. He yelped a bit when one of the projectiles shocked him, drawing looks of amusement from the others. "What? No takers?"

"It'd make more sense to relax after we finished. C'mon, let's see what's inside," Wes said, turning towards the entrance to the ruins and jogging over to them with the others. The four arrived at the ruins, with Wes gazing down the cracked stone steps that led to the interior. "What do you think's inside?"

"One way to find out," Viper replied, taking the first step down into the ruins. Snow and Wes looked at each other and shrugged before following, with Frost being the last to enter behind them. The descent into the ruins took only a minute, but the stairway was very dark and damp, which made the going slow. Eventually the hunters arrived in a large chamber, or at least, they thought they had. The echoing of their footsteps was the only clue they had about the room's size.

"Anyone got a torch or a lamp?" Wes asked, feeling around in the dark for a wall. His hand brushed against a rough scaly surface that quickly moved away from him.

"Hey! Who did that?" Viper's voice resounded throughout the room in confusion. A dull thud was heard, and a groan of pain followed the noise of wood clattering and rolling on the ground. "Oww…"

"Viper? Wes? You two alright?" Snow asked, seemingly across the room. "I don't have anything to light the room up with."

"I'm good, but I think I broke something," Viper groaned, shuffling about and getting to his feet. "Think I tripped on a stick or something…"

"Wait, a stick? Maybe…" Wes felt about on the ground a bit, eventually coming across a wooden object and picking it up. He flicked his wrist, drawing the blade from the compartment on his bracer and struck the flat of the blade on the stone floor, causing sparks to dance up next to the wooden object and light the dry wood ablaze. Moving quickly, Wes took the burning stick to a torch he saw nearby. With it lit, he took the light source to several others in the chamber, gradually flooding the entire room with light. The flames danced around wildly, casting shadows that flickered about the walls in several odd ways. Now that they could see, they saw that the entire room was fairly large, and a lot of moss covered most of the walls.

"Well, that's better," Viper said, finally being able to see. Wes saw him rubbing his behind, and suppressed a chuckle at the archer's misfortune.

"Hey, guys, I just realized something," Snow remarked, looking around the room. "There are three paths to take here… Which way should we go?"

"Huh… looks like you're right, Snow," Wes said, also taking a look around. "Guess we ought to split up, huh?"

"Is that really a good idea?" Viper commented. "I mean, call me crazy, but splitting up in a dark ruin half a mile underground doesn't seem like the greatest idea anyone's had all day. I mean, aside from dumping us out of an airship a hundred miles in the sky."

"Well, how about we split into pairs then? I'll go with Frost, and you two can stick together!" the huntress replied, pointing down one of the corridors. "If any of these is a dead end, we can check the other one."

"And if there's a maze or something? How do we keep from getting lost?" Viper asked. "I didn't bring a string or a handful of twigs, y'know."

"Well, why not carve numbers into the walls?" Wes answered, motioning to one of his swords. "We can mark the corners with a number so we'll know which one we came to in what order."

"Not a bad plan, Wes," Snow complimented. "Alright, we'll take the left corridor. See you guys soon!" The twins walked towards their corridor while Wes and Viper went towards the middle corridor.

"So, uh, don't suppose you know how we're gonna get across this, do you?" Viper asked as they came across a large gap in the pathway.

"C'mon man, can you only see a giant hole? Watch and learn, bow boy!" Wes turned and ran up a wall, grabbing at a large crack in the wall and gripping it. Securing footholds in the rocky wall, Wes began to climb up the wall, scaling the surface with ease. He made his way across the chasm's wall with hardly an effort, pushing off and leaping from the wall to the other side of the hole. "See? Nothing to it!"

"Nothing to it?! How the hell am I supposed to do that?! I can climb trees and cliffs, not ancient walls!" Viper protested, looking at the wall dumbstruck. "Unless there's something on that end I can cross on, then this is as far as I go."

"Well, remind me to show you how it's done sometime," Wes remarked, seeing that there was nothing for him to use to get the archer to his side. "Check the other hall while I'm here; maybe you'll have better luck, eh?"

"Ah, whatever. You get lost, it is not my fault," Viper sighed, turning and heading back the way they had come. The dual blade user lit an oil track at the beginning of the tunnel, lighting the way ahead before pressing forward.

_Guess I'd better not waste any time. _The hunter jogged through the hall, going around any of the deeper cracks in the floor and leaping over any that were shorter with ease, while having to climb across the wider pits. Eventually, though, he came across a pit that spanned several dozen feet, with no scalable cracks or holds on the walls. Instead, Wes noted that there were several wooden posts that spanned at floor level from wall to wall, probably support beams for the floor that had been there before the ruin had fallen into disrepair. With a short smirk, Wes leapt from the floor onto the first post, kicking off from the sturdy wood onto the next, then again, and again. He leapt across the pit handily, eventually reaching another solid section of stone floor. _Whoever made these ruins must've had a lot of time to build these halls over these pits…_

The hunter continued down the hall, noting that the condition of the ruins seemed to improve as he went along. Eventually, Wes noticed that there was a more natural light up ahead, and jogged through the rest of the hallway to see what waited at the end. He found himself walking into a small, rectangular room with black walls and a large crack in the ceiling, allowing daylight to flood the chamber. Strange markings covered the walls that seemed to represent a dragon of some kind, and a group of figures fighting against it. What really drew his attention, though, was the stairs leading up to an altar.

Wes quickly made his way up the steps and, arriving at the top, was greeted by the sight of a glowing spherical red stone. It seemed to dim and brighten irregularly, almost like lava in a volcano. It looked like it could've been made out of magma, based on its appearance, and despite its clear look, it still held the telltale texture of hardened lava. Wes cautiously reached out for it, anticipating some kind of trap, but upon grasping it and pulling it free, sighed in relief as nothing happened. _Seemed a bit too easy… Ah well, I'm not complaining. _Wes pocketed the jewel in one of his belt pouches before inspecting the rest of the chamber.

He found several interesting design prints as well, seemingly detailing ancient methods of weaponry. He gathered up several of the sheets, surprised at how well preserved they were and storing them in a tube-like bag he found nearby. One, he kept aside and folded up; it seemed to detail a set of dual swords that used gunlance components as well. _Wonder if pa'd be able to work this into something… It's not like the Guild would care if I took something extra, right? I found enough to meet their quota, at least. Wonder how the others are doing… I'd better head back soon._

But before he could act, he felt a low rumbling in the earth. Wes looked up just in time to see a large stone block plummeting towards him! He barely rolled out of the way in time, but couldn't stop for breath as several more blocks began falling from above, forcing him to abandon anything else in the room and escape the crumbling ruin. Fortunately, past the room everything seemed stable, aside from a few bits of dirt falling from above every now and then. Wes eventually found himself back in the main chamber, sighing in relief as he heard the muffled sound of more crumbling behind him.

Frost and Snow were already there waiting, and the huntress waved as he walked in. "Hey, Wes! Are you alright? Did you find anything? Our corridor wasn't too thrilling, but we found a few artifacts and gems. Say, where's Viper?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. We had to split up; he went down the other corridor since he couldn't follow me through the middle one. And yeah, I found a few things too, mostly weapon designs and such, but…" He paused, reaching into his back pouch and pulling out the red stone. "I also found this."

The twins looked intently at the glowing orb in the hunter's hand, very much intrigued by it. "What is it? I've never seen something like this before."

"I think it's that magma ruby the report was talking about," he replied, returning the gem to his pouch. He struck a grin as he recalled what else the report had listed. "I think it scored us a bonus!"

"Someone say bonus?" Viper called, entering from the last corridor. He joined the others quickly, and Wes showed him the gem as well. "Damn, you found a lot more than me; there was jack shit down my corridor. Well, I guess we've checked everywhere, right?"

"Seems like it," Snow replied, and Frost gave a quick nod in agreement.

"Alright, seriously, you're kinda startin' to freak me out, tough guy," Viper commented. "Seriously, do you ever say anything?" Frost's only reply was a slow, simple nod, which only further confounded the archer. "Come on! You couldn't just say 'yes'?"

"It's not like he's a mute, y'know," she said. "He just chooses not to say much!"

"Yeah, kinda like how you choose to say too much!" Viper replied jokingly.

"What did you say to me?! I do not talk too much! Take that back, you dumbass!" the huntress replied irritably, chasing after the bow user as he sprinted away to avoid being caught by her. "Get back here!"

"Later, slowpoke!" Wes sighed as the two ran up the steps outside, followed by Frost. He gave one last look back into the ruins, wondering about the strange carvings he had seen inside, but let it go after a moment and following after the others.

_I wonder what it all means…_

Upon reaching the surface of the island, the first sight Wes noted was Snow angrily pursuing Viper around the beach, spouting threats as the archer evaded her grasp again and again. Frost stood off to the side with his arms crossed, watching the scene unfold before him with what can only be assumed to be amusement.

"Frost, did you send up a flare yet?" The man shook his head in response, leading Wes to pull out a small black tube device marked with an 'MC' and an arrow. He held it skyward, pointing the arrow upwards, and pulled the pin on the side of it out. A bright red flare shot forth from the tube, launching itself into the sky high above them and letting off an immensely bright flash of red that could've been seen for miles around.

"Hey, what the hell was-? Ow, Snow, wait, stop!" Wes turned to see that the huntress had finally caught up to the archer and tackled him to the ground, beating him on the chest and head, tiredly but still with enough force to cause the bow user some pain. "Ow, stop, stop! That's my bread and butter you're screwing with!"

"Alright I'd say that's about enough of that," Wes remarked, pulling the huntress off of the archer. Viper, meanwhile, remained on the ground recovering from the beating he had just received.

"Why do women hate me…?"

"Maybe because you act like a dumbass all the time?" Snow remarked, laughing a bit as he finally got to his feet.

"Give him a break, Snow," Wes said, trying to defuse the situation. "We're all on the same side here, right?"

"I guess… But if he says that again, I'm really gonna let him have it!"

"Alright, alright, whatever. Say, you guys think we should carve anything off of the Lagiacrus? Seems a bit of a waste to just leave it there," the dual blade user pointed out, motioning towards the beast's carcass. Blood from its neck had stained the sand between its severed head and body, along with the numerous slashes Wes had dealt across its back, dyeing the sand below a deep crimson.

"...Well, so much for a nice tan on the beach. I'm kidding! We hunted it fair and square after all, so why not?" Viper commented, pulling out his carving knife. "Last one there has to buy everyone a meal! Starting now!" Viper took off sprinting towards the carcass while the others followed close behind.

While the others used their carving knives to gather parts from the leviathan's body, Wes used one of the blades kept in his wrist compartments, somewhat surprised at how effective they were for removing hard to get pieces from the creature's body. He grinned widely as he held up a deep blue sapphire he had carved from its tail, putting it into his pouch along with some scales and a horn he had carved from its head. _Jackpot!_

"Y'know, just looking at this thing's body, I can tell it wasn't very old," Snow remarked, looking it over. "I really don't think this is the worst thing we're going to come across… It went down way too easily. I'd say it's only a High Rank monster at most."

"Yeah, I just hope the next thing I get to go after is more challenging than that," Wes replied. "Honestly, I probably could've taken it down all by myself."

"I get the feeling any of us could, but whatever you say, blondie," Viper laughed, pushing himself to his feet. "Hey, I think our ride's here!" he called, pointing towards the sky. Sure enough, the small black airship was descending towards the island, touching down in only moments with its superior flight ability.

"You kids find everything ya need? That only took ya a third o' the allotted time, y'know!" The pilot shouted from the deck of the ship. "Sure ya didn't miss anything?"

"Nope, we scoured the place. Found everything we'd need, too. We can head back," Wes answered, boarding the ship with the others.

"Suit yerselves. If it makes ya feel any better, I'm not gonna drop ya off the same way this time, so you can just relax on the trip home. Nice job, by the way."

"Thanks, it was easy," Viper said, heading below deck. Frost, Snow, and Wes followed close behind, and it was only about a half hour before they finally landed in Loc Lac.

"…so what you're saying is, his sheath has a spring mechanism inside that lets him draw it quicker?" Wes asked Snow, stepping off the ship. "That seems like it shouldn't work."

"Give it to anyone but Frost, and it won't," the huntress replied, sticking her tongue out at him mockingly.

"Geez, you sure love gloating about your brother, lady," Viper remarked. "Why don'tcha marry him if ya love him so much?"

"What the hell did you just say?! Why I oughta-!" Wes chuckled a bit as Snow again tore after the archer, chasing him through the statue filled courtyard and into the building. Frost followed after, shaking his head in mild amusement.

"One of these days that mouth of his will get him into a lot more trouble than that." Wes trailed after, entering the building last. Upon entering, he saw that Snow had caught Viper in a headlock before he could reach the stairs, and was choking him out as Sal tried to calm her down. The dual blade user turned his attention to the elevator door as it slid open, though, revealing the Corps Head, accompanied by a man with spiky red hair wearing a scientist's outfit. The pair approached him as the hunter turned to face them.

"I trust that your assignment was a success?" Balestra asked, his voice containing nothing but a steely, professional attitude.

"Yeah, and I found your little magma ruby too," Wes replied, pulling the red gem out of his pouch and showing it to the man along with the tube filled with weapon schematics.

"Good… very good indeed," the crimson eyed man replied, taking the gem in one hand and inspecting it closely. "You've done very well. Mr. Joshua, if you'd please take this to the research center along with the other findings."

"But of course," the man, Joshua, replied. He took the objects carefully and returned to the elevator, waiting as the doors closed and brought him up through the building again.

"Now, in regards to your payment," Balestra said, pulling Wes' attention back to him. "I must inform the central Guild headquarters of the success of this mission. If you would accompany me, Mr. Wes, it would make the process far less… tedious."

"Uh, sure, I guess. Should the others come along too?" he asked, pointing back to the others, still embroiled in a faux wrestling match behind him.

"…Charming. Now, if you're done telling jokes, let us be off." Wes shrugged as Balestra turned his back and left the building, following not far behind the black uniformed man. "Tell me, Mr. Wes, what did you think of the method of transportation used in your assignment?"

"It worked, I guess. Fastest travel speed I've ever seen, but I wasn't really anticipating getting dropped the way we did," the dual blade user replied. The two had been walking for a few minutes in complete silence, so Wes was glad to finally break the monotony. "I do have one question, though. The report specifically mentioned that ruby, and I was wondering, what's so special about it anyways?"

"That magma ruby holds information that dates back to the era of the world's creation," Balestra replied, not slowing or breaking stride as he made his way towards the Guild tower. Numerous people in the street seemed to move away from him as he passed, not wanting to get in his way. "Our chief scientist, Mr. Joshua, believes that with extensive research, we can uncover some of the most ancient secrets this world contains. As such, these stones are a high priority target for any expedition assignment, and I am expecting them to be located efficiently."

"Right, but I found it on an altar in a black room. There were these carvings all over the walls, too. Think those could have anything to do with the past too?" Wes asked. Balestra nodded his head slightly in reply.

"While the carvings are no doubt important, what has been discovered about the rubies is far more valuable than prehistoric wall scribbles. The locations can be researched after everything there is to know about the gems is found out."

"Uh-huh…" Wes replied, puzzled. "And I found a bunch of schematics for ancient weapons inside. Will those go into weapon development?"

"Indeed. Those ancient designs have appeared throughout the country, and each one found helps improve the quality of our hunting utensils. It is good that those were located as well; finding even one can help a hundred lives remain on this earth for a while longer." Wes swallowed nervously, remembering that he had snuck one of those schematics out of the pile.

_Well, pa will make them, and then release them to the public, so no biggie, _he thought as the two neared the tower. Being this close to the Guild tower was truly astounding; from his window in the Master Corps building, it was tall, but the massive tusk was nothing short of immense now that Wes was within a block of it. Balestra continued unsurprised towards the bridge that led into the tower, followed by the dual blade wielder.

The inside of the tower was cool and immense, not betraying the size of the structure at all. The interior was carved out from the thick bone expertly, leaving it a fully functional building for all sorts of official Guild business. Balestra approached a large, circular desk where several Guild officers sat filling out paperwork, gaining the attention of one of the workers quickly.

"S-Sir Balestra! We didn't expect to hear from you so soon," the man said quickly, rising to his feet and bowing lightly.

"And now, you should be expecting to hear from the Master Corps far more often. Send word to Mr. Calistro that I'd like to have a word with him."

"O-of course, Sir, right away!" The man turned and entered an elevator at the back of the room, disappearing from sight.

"What was he so nervous about?" Wes asked, confused. "I mean, sure, you're kind of intimid- uh, professional, but still…" Balestra gave him a cool stare before looking ahead again, keeping his focus on the elevator doors.

"That man was one of the officers who petitioned against the formation of the Master Corps. He feared it would be an immense waste of valuable money and resources, and as such, saw fit to combat me until the very end of the process. Rest assured, he is now beginning to see why he was wrong from the start."

"I… see…" Wes replied, pulling his hood back; he had kept it up to prevent the sun from getting to him, but inside it wasn't as necessary. Before too long, the doors opened again, and the same officer from before stepped out, motioning towards Balestra that whoever he was to speak with was ready for him. The Corps Head entered the elevator, and Wes attempted to follow, but the officer stopped him.

"My apologies, sir, but only official Guild officers are allowed beyond this point. You must wait here in order to-"

"Stand down, Ghazim. Let the boy pass; he's with me," Balestra ordered. The officer reluctantly stood aside, and Wes entered the elevator. It took them both up several hundred feet into the air, stopping near the top of the structure. Wes and Balestra stepped out into a formal looking room that led to a door with a secretary in front of it. Noticing them, she rang a small bell, and allowed the two to enter the Guild Master's office.

"So, Balestra, looks like this harebrained scheme of yers is actually payin' off," a short wyvernian sitting on the desk inside remarked. He was dressed in a formal Guild outfit like the officers, but seemed a bit too high strung to be the kind of person to sit behind a desk all day. "So, who's this you've invited to our meeting? One a yer protégé's or somethin'?"

"This is Mr. Wes, a member of the Master Corps, and the first one to successfully complete an assignment," Balestra replied. "He and his comrades were able to accomplish the task presented to them in only a third of the standard six hour time frame we had set for them, and found the object of interest in the process. In light of such pure talent- and proof of the Master Corps' effectiveness- I believe that funding for members should now be considered further."

"Wes, ya say? Where've I heard that name before…?" The wyvernian opened a drawer behind him and quickly pulled out a file, reading through it while mumbling to himself. "Wes… Age eighteen… Completed exam three years prior… Family relations…" The wyvernain groaned, seemingly in irritation at reading the last part of the file. "Yer not here to try n' extort money outta me like yer father, are ya, kid?"

"Uh, no, I wasn't planning on it," Wes replied, surprised at the comment. _Pa never said he got money from the Guild master before. _Calistro sighed in relief before turning back to Balestra.

"Alright, fine, I'll look into it. You'd better keep showing results like these if ya expect ta get anywhere with this, Balestra. Yer proposition was a costly one, and if it fails, then ya will be ruined, am I clear?"

"Of course, thank you sir."

"Alright, get outta here; and take blondie wit' ya. That eye of his is bringin' back some unpleasant memories." With that, the Corps Head turned and left the room, followed by a grumbling Wes. _Why the hell does everyone call me that?_

"Well, Mr. Wes, it would seem that you've made an impression on the Guild Master," Balestra said in his stoic manner as they boarded the elevator. "Though I believe that's more of your father's doing than your own."

"Yeah, don't I know it," the hunter replied irately. "I'm hoping to finally step out of his shadow for once. I figure this was a good way to start."

"If all you seek is fame and glory, I feel inclined to tell you that the Master Corps was founded to promote the advancement of modern society as a whole, not to make its members feel like they are above everyone else. If you thought otherwise, then you are sorely mistaken, boy."

Wes didn't reply to that remark; he didn't really have a counter to it. "Exactly why was it so hard to create the Corps anyways?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

"In part, due to the magnitude of the task itself. The funds needed to finance the Corps was tremendous, not only for the headquarters, but also in renovating the _Forever Breeze _into the _Righteous Law_ and in creating the airship fleet. All the resources had to be pulled from other areas of Loc Lac's budget, so in creating the Master Corps, a few other facilities around the city had to be shut down. Not only that, but it took a full decade to amass the funds necessary to finally pay for it all. The entire time, I had to deal with opposition to the plan from about half of the city council. In order to put an end to all of the opposition, the Corps needs to raise enough money on its own to pay back the city for the help in establishing it; I estimate that it should take a full year to come close to that. This meaning we will need hunters conducting missions every minute of every day in a single year, which is next to impossible to accomplish. So you see, Mr. Wes, this has been a very long, difficult struggle for me, and it would be no small pain if it were all ruined. Do you understand now?"

"Y…yeah, I get it…" _Geez, I guess I didn't realize how dedicated to the job he was… Maybe he isn't as bad a guy as I thought. Still kinda gives me the creeps though. _The elevator finally stopped descending and the two stepped into the tower lobby, but Balestra turned and began walking towards the stairs up to the next level.

"Thank you, Mr. Wes, but I will not be requiring your services as of now. Please, go about your business, and do remember to give your all on every job you are assigned. I bid you good day." The man then walked up the steps and disappeared from sight, not sparing another glance towards the young hunter.

"Huh… Weird guy." Wes turned and walked out of the tower, stepping into the warm, late afternoon sun of the desert. He pulled his hood up to shield his face from the harsh light and began to make his way through the city again. However, he soon realized that, once again, he'd been led astray in the maze-like city, and sighed as he stopped in the shade of a building. _I really need to learn this city better… I've already gotten lost twice!_

The hunter quickly climbed up the wall next to him, drawing a few surprised gasps from the people nearby, and pulled himself up onto the roof. Not even a few moments later, he was running across the tops of the buildings towards the HQ building in the distance, leaping over streets and shocking any who saw him. It took him almost fifteen minutes to make the dash to the Master Corp building, and by the time he stopped outside the building, he was coated in sweat and panting exhaustedly.

"Seriously… need… a map…" he mumbled to himself, opening the doors and heading inside. The cool air within was a welcome feeling as it blew into him, chilling him a bit but making him feel less exhausted.

"Welcome back, blondie!" Wes groaned as he turned, seeing Ruby and the other Gem Sisters sitting on a bench to his left. "You look exhausted. What happened to you?"

"Ran from the Guild Tower to here in a sprint," he replied, taking a seat on the opposite side of the four huntresses to catch his breath. "And don't call me that."

"So, we heard that you and your team finished your assignment first. How was it?" Sapphire asked.

"Well enough, only real events were slicing a Lagiacrus in half and almost getting crushed in a collapsing ruin. How about you?"

"Easy as hell!" Emerald replied, very enthusiastically. "The Rath went down first, and the Agnaktor died when the Uragaan slammed its skull in. We brought it down not long after, and we almost got the Zinogre, but it bolted before we could finish it off. Chances are it bled out."

"Not like it was too difficult or anything," Amethyst remarked lazily, as if daydreaming. "Seriously, it was like those things were more interested in beating the crap out of each other than attacking us."

"Four monsters competing for territory means that they really were more intent on taking out the bigger ecological threat than you four," the dual blade user said. He laughed a bit as they all looked at him with different expressions: anger, surprise, confusion, and… something else that Wes couldn't put his finger on, but made him a tad nervous. "What? I read a lot of books when I was younger."

"Well, it doesn't really matter how you know that. We don't need a lecture on a hunt we already finished," Emerald remarked irritably.

"Speaking of already done, shouldn't the last group be back by now?" Sapphire said, changing the subject. "Their assignment was a hunt too, right? For a Sand Barioth? I wonder if they're okay…"

"…How do you know what all the assignments are?" Wes asked slowly. It seemed a little strange that they all knew what his and the other's jobs were.

"The liaison told us. She said she showed you all the sheets too," Ruby answered immediately. "What? Think we're sneaking around or something?"

"No, no, just… Curious, that's all. Anyways, it's been lovely, but I'm turning in for the night. Later." The dual blade user got to his feet and boarded the elevator across the room, but right before the door started to close there was a flash of blue hair, and he noted that Sapphire now stood next to him.

"Hey, don't mind if I do the same, do you? Truth be told, it was a pretty hard job," she remarked, sighing tiredly as she leaned against a wall.

"Well, even if I did mind, you're in here now, so I can't exactly stop you, right? Take any hits?"

"No, no injuries, but there were a couple close calls. Arm kinda hurts; had to save Ammy with my shield when she was reloading. That Stygian Zinogre was probably the hardest fight we ever had…"

"How so? They aren't that much different from a regular Zinogre," the dual blade wielder remarked.

"That's just it; it didn't seem normal… Like, it wasn't really there to stay, it was looking for other monsters to fight… I guess once it realized the others were done for, it decided to leave. We honestly didn't hurt it that bad, but damn…"

"Sorry to hear that. Need a potion or anything for your arm? A small shield isn't really suited to blocking heavy attacks, y'know."

"Yeah, but… I didn't know what else to really do. Ammy's been getting into these weird daydreams lately. She doesn't talk about them, but it kinda worries me."

"She'll tell you when she wants to. Don't fret… Hey, is this elevator even moving?" Wes said, finally noticing that there was no movement in the room.

"…This is kinda weird… It was going just fine a minute ago," Sapphire replied, looking about the chamber as Wes went to the door.

"Looks like we're between floors, too… Dammit, just my luck… I don't suppose you know how to climb, do you?"

"Well, kinda… Rock shelves and such, sure. Why? How many floors do we have to go up?" She asked, wincing a little as if in pain.

"Don't know, but enough that it might take a while… Wait, you've got a bad arm, don't you?"

"It isn't that bad…"

"Stay here, I've got an idea." Wes opened up a wooden panel in the ceiling and climbed into the shaft, looking up to see how far the next floor was. Fortunately, it was only about fifteen feet, which was an easy climb for him, but he needed to find a way to get Sapphire out too… _Maybe there's something jamming the pulley at the top of the shaft… _He looked even farther up into the darkened portion of the shaft, where he could hear the faint groaning of metal as the gears attempted to move, sighing a bit as he realized he had more than four times the original distance to climb now. Not wasting another moment, the hunter began to methodically ascend the elevator shaft by hand, gripping anything he could use as a hand hold as he made his way up.

"Wes! What are you doing?" Sapphire called from the room below, seeing him. "Are you leaving me down here?!"

"No, something's jamming the gears! I'm going to fix them!" he replied, keeping his focus on the top of the shaft. Fortunately, he could see the top of the hollow column somewhat clearly, and that the gears were being held up by another that had shifted out of place. Nearing the mechanism, he drew one of the blades from his wrist and fit the gear back into place, carefully using the hard metal weapon to push the part into position. Almost at once, the machine whirred to life and the gears started turning, making the rope Wes was holding onto begin to descend. It pulled him down with it, and he dropped a few feet into the elevator just as it reached the seventh floor.

"That was impressive!" Sapphire said, a hint of admiration in her eye. "Didn't take you for the mechanic type too, Wes."

"Neither did I. It wasn't much of a fix, I think it just wasn't put together very well the first time."

"…In that case, I think I'm just going to use the stairs from now on. Anyways, thanks for helping me out, Wes. I'll see you around," the blue haired woman said cheerfully before retiring to her room. Wes did the same, finally getting a chance to relax after the day's exercises.

_I forgot how nice a warm shower is after a long day… _he thought to himself, stepping out of the bathroom after washing off. He wore white sleep clothes, letting his suit air out a bit on the back of one of the chairs in his room. He took out all the materials he had carved from the Lagiacrus and put them into his item chest before setting the weapon schematic he kept on the table by another envelope. Seeing it how dark it was outside, Wes decided to finally turn in for the night, switching off the lights and drifting off into a restful sleep.

* * *

**_Author Notes: _** _And now things start to get rolling! While this technically had the first hunt of the story in it, this was more of a way to show off what the new cast can do. Plus, the plot is finally getting under way! Oh, and I broke last chapter's word count already! Sure, 800 words isn't too much, but every little bit counts, right? It'll only pick up from here, trust me!_

**_Playing: MH3U, Minecraft, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds_**

**_Listening to: Papa Roach, The Offspring, Paramore_**

**_Watching: Red vs. Blue, Achievement Hunter, lots of different video game cutscenes _**

**_Reading: My numerous enemies' movements_**


	4. Mess with the bull

The Master Corp

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated. Serena belongs to hunter.714._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 4- Mess with the bull...

Wes awoke later in the day than he had the previous day, sleeping in until a couple hours before midday. Since no one had called for him, he assumed he didn't have an assignment today. He quickly pulled on a set of casual clothing- a simple white shirt, baggy tan pants, and his black leather boots- before heading downstairs, taking the precaution to avoid the elevator and use the stairs. _I don't need a work out this early, especially not one like that…_

"Yo, Wes! About time you got up, bud!" The dual blade user saw Viper greet him from the opposite side of the entry hall, and went to meet the archer. "Say, wanna hit up a nearby tavern for some food? I'm starving, and apparently Dustin only picks up food on Mondays."

"Yeah, sure, why not? Will Frost and Snow be joining us?"

"Nah. According to Sal, they had another job today; got sent off with a couple of hunters from floor three. So, it's just you, me, and all the food I can eat."

"Yeah, we'll see about that," Wes chuckled, walking towards the door. "I swear, you've got the biggest stomach I've ever seen."

"I'll take that as a compliment!"

The pair made their way to a tavern not far from the building, where several hunters had already gathered for quests and meals. They found an empty bench among the crowded tavern and took a seat, ordering some meals from a waitress who came by.

"Damn, just look at 'em all," Wes said, gazing at all the hunters. "All the weapons and armor… This is one of the best parts about being a hunter: seeing all the equipment there is to get!"

"Meh, personally I'm only interested in bows, but more power to ya," Viper remarked, taking a swig from his tankard. A rather attractive female huntress wearing a set of G-Rank Zinogre armor walked past their table then, and the archer's eyes followed her with a slight gleam. "…Check that, bows and women. And food… I'll be right back."

"Remember what happened with Snow? You sure you want to try your luck again so soon?" the dual blade wielder asked with a laugh.

"Wes, look who you're talking to; the ladies love me! I just wasn't trying yesterday. I betcha ten gold I can get her to come sit with us."

"I'll take that; this'll be good for a laugh. Knock yourself out, bow boy."

"Alright, watch and learn, blondie." Wes kept his eyes on him as Viper approached the huntress. From that distance, he couldn't hear what was being said, so he tried to infer what was happening based on the woman's expression. Viper pointed towards him after a moment, with her gaze following, then she smiled and shook her head as if to agree with something. Wes had to suppress an irritated sigh as the pair returned to the table.

"Hiya, blondie," the huntress laughed, seating herself beside Viper. The archer had a very condescending look on his face, grinning victoriously at Wes. "Viper here said you were interested in me."

"Wait, what? Viper, the hell are you doing trying to pull matchmaker on me?!"

"Calm down, bud! It was a joke! But seriously, Serena's a great gal. Rank six, sword and shield extraordinaire, right?" the archer asked, brushing his black hair away from the left side of his face, though it quickly fell back into place over his eye.

"You got that right," the huntress, Serena, replied, smiling widely and blushing a little. "So, what ranks are you two? I don't think I've ever seen you around before."

"…That's a good question, actually," Wes stated, thinking. "Viper, did Balestra actually say if we went by ranks?"

"No, he just said we did jobs based on our skillsets… Does that mean we can go on whatever hunts we want off duty?"

"Hell if I know. His speech put almost everyone in there to sleep."

"True that… Think he'd care if we went missing for a day?"

"Probably, I mean, the guy seems like the rank-and-file type. For all we know, we're not allowed to go on normal hunts anymore."

"Are you kidding me? That's Bullfango crap! What if we want to upgrade our gear?"

"Guess we have to try and collect on our assignments…"

"Uhh… Guys? Hello, still here," Serena stated, waving her hand a little to get their attention. "You kinda lost me there…"

"Oh, sorry about that. We just got here yesterday," Wes explained. "We're in the Master Corps, see, and-"

"Wait, you guys are in the Corps?!" the huntress asked excitedly.

"…Yeah…? Is… that a big deal…?" Viper asked, scratching the back of his head in confusion. He gave Wes a quick glance as if asking, _Are we that important to regular hunters? _

"A big deal?! The Master Corps is the talk of the city! The entire project's been going on for years! There've been a ton of us regular hunters trying to get in! You guys are practically famous!"

"Famous?" Wes liked the sound of that already! "Well, I guess we are kind of a big deal, right, Viper?" The dual blade shot Viper a glance to try and get him to play along. "Not like just anyone could get in or anything."

"Uh, right, of course!" he answered quickly, getting Wes' message. "Yeah, we go on all sorts of important assignments that'd be waaaay too much for ordinary hunters to handle."

"You guys are so cool!" Serena was practically ogling them now, her eyes sparkling with admiration. "Can I get an autograph or something?"

"Serena! Where the hell is my drink?!" a gruff voice called from across the tavern. She immediately froze and looked over at the source, as did Viper and Wes. A burly man in a suit of Diablos armor rose from the bench he was sitting at, removing his helmet and shooting their table a furious glare. He stomped over to them and planted his carving knife into the wooden surface before them.

"Hey, watch it!" Wes yelped, pulling his hand away from the blade before it pierced flesh. "What is your problem?!" The whole of the tavern went silent as every patron turned their gaze towards the altercation.

"My problem?! My problem is that some blonde punk is trying to steal my girl!" he spat back, leaving his knife quavering in the table.

"Varon, please… He wasn't trying to-"

"Shut it! You sat with them on your own, didn't you?!" Varon shouted, making as if to strike the huntress.

"Whoa, whoa! Calm down!" Viper shouted, stopping the Diablos-armored man in his tracks.

"Don't tell me what to do, you son of a bitch! Serena's my girl, and everyone here knows that!"

"What do you mean, 'yours'?" Wes asked. "She isn't your frickin' slave, asshole." A vein seemed to bulge below Varon's right eye as he scowled at the hunter.

"Shut your goddamn mouth, punk, 'fore I shut it for you."

"No, I don't think I will." The two stared off at each other, anger growing on Varon's face while Wes kept a steely calm.

"Wes… You might want to back off a bit…" Viper mumbled to him, glancing at Varon. "I know you're a good fighter and all, but this guy has armor on… You don't have much of a chance here."

"You think I'm afraid of this guy? Please, he's all freakin' talk! I'll bet you anything that he's just afraid of being shown up by someone better than him."

That last insult really seemed to hit home, because Wes found himself being thrown from his chair and across the floor of the tavern, with Varon cursing angrily at him. "That's it! You've asked for it! Hope you got a good bit of money stashed away somewhere, 'cuz you're gonna need it to pay off the hospital bills when I'm through with you!"

Wes got to his feet and wiped the side of his head with the back of his hand; he had scraped it against the ground, resulting in a thin cut on his right cheek bone. The dual blade wielder noted that he and Varon were in the center of the tavern, surrounded by tables and with only a few barrels here and there.

"Nice threat, but if anyone's gonna be eating food through a straw for the next few months, it's gonna be you," Wes retorted, getting into a combat-ready stance.

"Wes, you're gonna get yourself killed," Viper moaned, rubbing his forehead irritably. "Just let it be!"

"Too late for that!" Varon interjected, cracking his neck and stepping forward. He shot a glare at Viper and raised a finger at him. "Once I'm done with your friend, you're next!" The archer visibly paled at the threat, and swallowed hard. Faron chuckled menacingly at the sight before turning back to where Wes stood. "Alright, now for-"

Wes was no longer there.

"What the hell?! The son of a bitch ran! I swear, when I get my hands on him, I'll-!" The armored hunter didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as Wes leapt upon him from behind, grabbing hold of the back of the man's head and one of his tall Diablos horn pauldrons and slammed him into the ground!

"Probably weren't gonna say 'get my face smashed into the floor', were ya?" Wes asked mockingly. Varon quickly recovered, spitting blood out of his mouth and glaring angrily at the dual blade wielder as he got to his feet. "I'm not in the Master Corps for nothing!"

"Master Corps?! I should've known that a punk like you would be one of those assholes! I'll bet you think you're better than everyone in here, don't you?!"

"Sounds like someone's got a bit of a grudge! You got a problem with the Corps?"

"I'm the best hunter in this goddamn tavern! So why shouldn't I be in such an 'elite organization'?!"

"Maybe because you're an asshole with a possessive streak," Wes shot back, earning a furious glare from the other man. "Oh, and to answer your first question; I don't _think_ I'm better than everyone in here, I _know_ I am!"

"You little bastard… I'll tear you to shreds!" Varon charged at him, arms outstretched as if to grab the dual blade wielder. Right as the man's arms began to close around him, Wes ducked below his grasp and rolled between his legs. The armored hunter grunted in surprise, seeing his target slip from his grasp, and let out a pained yelp as Wes darted behind him and kicked his knee in. The hunter was forced to drop to one knee as his leg crumpled from under him, and Wes took advantage of his downed state to grab his arm. With a deal of effort, Wes forced the man to hop a circle around him before throwing the man unsteadily into a barrel used for arm wrestling. The wooden container broke into splinters as the heavy man fell into it.

By now, several of the patrons were cheering from the sidelines, making bets on who'd win the fight and urging the two to continue. Wes grinned to himself, looking around at all the hunters goading him on and shouting words of encouragement at him. _Heh… So, this is what it's like being the center of attention… This is what I'm talking about!_

"Wes, watch out!" The dual blade user just barely snapped out of it before a gauntleted fist slammed into the side of his face, knocking him through the air and to the floor a few feet back! He shook the spots from his eyes as he pushed himself up, grimacing. Varon had already gotten to his feet, and took advantage of the hunter's momentary lack of awareness to sucker punch him.

"If you think it's gonna be that easy, you've got another thing coming, punk!" the armored man growled, stomping over to the dazed hunter. Wes rolled out of the way as Varon attempted to stomp on him with a heavy bone boot, recovering fully and getting back to his feet.

"Lucky shot, asshole! But I ain't done yet either!" Wes ran at the Diablos-clad hunter, noting that he was winding up to throw a strong punch. Anticipating the strike before it came, the dual blade wielder sidestepped at the last possible second, watching Faron's clenched fist pass him by harmlessly. Coiling his legs as he landed, Wes jumped at the man, delivering a powerful strike of his own right into the side of his unarmored head.

The strike wasn't enough to knock the heavy man over, but it was enough to stun him a little, which Wes had been hoping for. Grabbing the sides of Varon's head, the dual blade user drove the man's head down into his awaiting knee, knocking the man back again. Varon stumbled back to keep his balance, kicking blindly in Wes' direction. The hunter was flung back as the Diablos-bone greave slammed into his gut, winding him and knocking him into a barrel.

Wes regretted that he hadn't worn his armor, as the thin Barioth pelt shirt he wore didn't do very much to absorb the impact. Still, he forced himself back up after a moment, ready to reengage the other hunter. Varon still seemed dazed from all the blows to the head he'd taken, but the hunter stood tall, glaring angrily at the dual blade wielder. Wes grunted in irritation, seeing the man's state.

_This guy can take a lot of hits… He's more durable than me, and I can only go for his head… That armor's a huge pain in my ass right now, but there's no way I can get rid of it… Gotta find something around here to tip the odds in my favor…_

Quickly glancing at everything in front of him, Wes remembered the wood fragments lying at his feet from the broken barrel he had been thrown into. Putting the tip of his foot below one of the smaller planks, he kicked the fragment up into his waiting hand as his opponent charged at him again, cursing angrily. Before Varon reached him, Wes chucked the wood piece at his head, nailing him directly in the forehead. The heavy armored hunter yelped and clutched his head in pain, not noticing that Wes had closed the distance between them again. Wes grabbed Varon by the back and dragged him over to a table before gripping the back of his skull. "Alright, tough guy, time to finish this! Heads up!"

The dual blade user slammed the armored hunter's face into the table with as much force as he could. Varon grunted in pain as he impacted the wooden surface, but Wes knew just one wasn't enough; pulling his head back again, he did the same thing, driving the Diablos-clad man's unprotected head into the table once more. Pulling him back one last time, Wes threw Varon's head onto the table, with the impact of the blow being enough to knock the hunter onto his back from the recoil. Wes stood over the downed hunter, panting tiredly, but confident the other man wouldn't be standing up again anytime soon.

Only then did he allow his attention to return to the crowd around him, cheering and whistling at the outcome of the fight. Wes chuckled to himself as he returned to his seat, receiving pats on the back and congratulations all the way. "Hey, one at a time! I'm awesome enough for all of you!" The crowd dispersed after a little bit, with several whispers and murmurs about the fight and the Master Corps as the hunters all returned to their seats.

"Hot flippin' damn, Wes, remind me to never get on your bad side!" Viper remarked, admiration strewn across his face. "Gotta say, I'm glad you took care of him; I'm complete garbage at fist fights. He'd have laid me out like a rug!"

"I can see why you're in the Corps now; thanks for that, Wes," Serena said, a mixture of relief and amazement on her face. "He's always been kind of an asshole…"

"Well, I gave him proper warning; he had it comin'. Hey, I just realized something: is our food done yet? I'm starving!"

"Here's a meal for the champion!" the waitress said, having approached while they were conversing. She set a couple of large platters on the table, each stacked high with perfectly cooked meat, sweet vegetables, fresh baked breads, and other delicacies that could make even a dead man rise to get a taste. "This one's on the house; Varon's been trying to take over the tavern for a while now, so the manager wants to thank you for teaching him a lesson. From now on, you can get free meals every time you come here!"

"Seriously?! Damn, I know how to pick my enemies!" Wes laughed, grinning happily. Viper gave him a look of both amazement and envy, but soon turned his gaze to the food before him.

"Alright, well, I'm digging in! See you at the bottom, blondie!" the archer joked before tearing into his food.

"We'll see about that, bow boy!" Wes did likewise, eating his way through the food before him like a ravenous beast. The food was nowhere near as good as his mother's home cooking, but it was still utterly delicious, and not fifteen minutes later, Wes and Viper were laid out on the table, plates empty and stomachs full.

"Oof… Haven't eaten like that in weeks," Viper remarked before belching loudly. Serena and Wes broke out into laughter as the archer grinned. "I can do better than that!"

"I'm sure you can, hot shot," the huntress joked, very much amused by the pair's antics. "You two have got to be the most fun guys I've ever met. Seriously, we've got to go on a hunt together sometime!"

"First chance we get, sure!" Wes replied eagerly, still riding high on all the praise he had received. "Not sure when that'll be, but we'll be in the neighborhood awhile!"

"I'm all for it," Viper added, finishing off the remains of his tankard. "Yo, Wes, think we should be getting back soon? Balestra might have put an assignment up for us."

"Yeah, I guess. We've had enough fun for one meal, huh?"

"Aww, you guys are leaving? Oh well, I guess I'll see you two around then!" Serena said, smiling warmly at the two. They both bid the huntress farewell before leaving the tavern.

"So, I think she's got the hots for me," Viper said low enough for only Wes to hear.

"Keep telling yourself that. You were practically pissing yourself while I was beating the crap out of that guy," Wes snarked back. "You just brought her to the front row to watch!"

"Oh, right, speaking of which, you owe me ten gold!"

"There he is!" The two froze and turned to face a group of three Guild officers, one of whom pointed accusingly at Wes. "He was the one who started the fight in the tavern! You both are under arrest for public misconduct and disturbing the peace!"

"Since when was that a law?!" Viper asked disbelievingly.

"Viper, I think now'd be a good time to split up," Wes mumbled, backing up a little as the officers began to close in on them.

"You think?" the archer replied quietly, backing up as well. "So, after we lose these guys, meet back up at HQ?"

"Sounds like a plan. But lemme try something first…" Wes waited a moment as the officers neared them before holding his arms up in a gesture of peace. "Guys, guys! Can't we work out some kinda deal here? There isn't anything wrong with two guys settling their differences the old fashioned way, right?"

"We don't 'work out deals' with criminals."

"Well, I tried. Viper, break!" Wes immediately turned and started sprinting away from the officers, two of which pursued him as quickly as they could. The hunter led the men down the length of the district's main street, darting around pedestrians and bystanders to get through the crowd as quickly as he could. His pursuers followed as best they could, nudging people aside and wading through the crowd, intent on catching up with the light-footed hunter. Seeing a small alley of to the side of the street, Wes immediately darted inside in an attempt to break their line of sight on him.

Wes slid to a stop, noting that the only thing in the alley was a pulley holding up some wood planks for any workers on the roof to get easier access to. He turned around to face the two men as they began to slowly approach from the one entrance in the alley.

"End of the line, kid; you're coming with us," one of the officers threatened. Wes glanced back at the pulley before facing the officers again, backing away from them.

"Don't suppose I can get a 'get-out-of-jail-free card', can I?" he asked sarcastically, planning an escape in his mind.

"Shut it!" the other officer answered, drawing his rapier. "What is it with you hunters that makes you think you're above the law?! Disrupting the peace inside the city?!"

Wes responded by leaping up onto the platform the pulley was attached to, drawing one of the blades from his wrist and cutting the rope holding the planks up with a quick swipe. He grasped the loose rope as it flew upwards, the wood planks acting as a counterweight that propelled him up to the rooftops while the planks crashed to the ground in front of the officers, cutting them off from following him.

"That makes me feel very above the law!" he called down to the men below before sprinting away, pulling his hood up and leaping from the building he was on to another across the street. He landed with a roll and got to his feet quickly, running over the rooftops towards the Master Corps Headquarters. There were a few Guild officers in the streets below who saw him dashing over the buildings, but they could only follow him from the streets below, unable to catch up with the agile hunter's free running.

Nearing the gate leading into the Master Corps headquarters, Wes jumped down from the building he was on, grabbing a sign hanging over a store and using it to slow his downward momentum. In the same motion, he swung forwards and let go, flying several feet through the air before landing with a quick roll and breaking into a sprint again. By then, all the officers had lost sight of him, and he made his way through the gate and towards the main building, somewhat exhausted by the exertion. He breathed a sigh of relief before pushing open the door leading inside.

"Ah, Mr. Wes. Just who I was looking for." The hunter stopped in his tracks, seeing Balestra standing eye to eye with him just inside the doorway and blocking passage into the building. Wes nervously glanced back, seeing a pair of Guild officers enter the gates. One saw him, and the two began to make their way towards him.

"Listen, I've really got to get inside-"

"Nonsense. It would just so happen your friend informed me of what happened at the tavern." Wes noticed the archer seated inside, giving him a thumbs up and a slight grin.

"Stop right there! Don't go any further!" one of the officers behind the hunter gasped, breathing heavily from the chase. "We'll pin resisting arrest on you too if you do that again!"

"Gentlemen, stand down," Balestra ordered, stepping outside and facing the pair, keeping his hands folded behind his back as always. "The altercation at the tavern was simply a mild disagreement that escalated beyond what the young boy believed it would. The other man lashed out at him, and he defended himself. There is no law against protecting oneself, correct?"

"S-Sir Balestra! We can't just ignore this…!" the other officer replied, shaking his head quickly.

"You can, and you will. There are more important matters to attend to in this city than chasing after ruffians for settling their differences through force, rather than diplomacy. I want all the men to leave Mr. Wes alone, is that clear?"

"…Yes, sir…" The officers reluctantly conceded to the Corp Head's demands and departed, grumbling to each other under their breaths.

"Now then, come inside," Balestra stated, turning quickly and reentering the building. Wes followed after the man, somewhat confused.

_Why did he help me like that? That's… really out of character for him… _Wes thought, pulling his hood down. Viper stood and joined him, following Balestra to the elevator and boarding with him.

"You owe me big time for that, Wes," Viper whispered, leaning over to make himself more easily heard. "I barely finished explaining it to him before you showed up."

"And I appreciate that, but one bet at a time, eh, Viper?" The elevator took the three all the way up to the top floor this time, opening up into a rather large office. A large desk stood before a window that spanned the entire wall behind it, with several neatly arranged stacks of paper resting on top of it. A few bookshelves lined the wall to the right, along with some plaques detailing achievements in the Guild. To the right, several replica weapons were mounted on the wall, and Wes couldn't recall ever seeing those weapons on the open market before. There was a purple shield matched with a short sword that had a rotating blade, a large switch axe made from a combination of red and gold metals, a gunlance that glowed with an electric blue hue, and several other rare and exotically designed hunting tools.

Balestra walked to the center of the room before turning to face the pair as they gazed about the office curiously, clearing his throat to grab their attention. "I'm certain you're both wondering why I've gone to all the trouble of bringing you to my chambers for this discussion."

"Kind of, yeah," Viper mumbled, though Balestra didn't respond to the archer's comment, either not hearing it or ignoring it completely.

"As I'm sure both of you know, the Master Corps is just getting off its feet now. It has yet to grow into what I've envisioned, but to make it that far, nothing short of absolute perfection is allowed."

"Where's this going?" Wes blurted out, puzzled by the Corps Head's speech. "We did the first job perfectly. Neither of us-"

"If you'd be so kind as to allow me to finish, then you'd learn, Mr. Wes. May I remind you that the Corps must maintain a positive image to the city as well. Your escapade in the tavern today may not have been your fault, but openly mocking members of the Guild and evading arrest was not what you should have done. Consider yourself lucky that my standing in the Guild is high enough to allow me to call off the officers; I may not be able to do that again next time." Balestra's tone seemed slightly agitated, but quickly returned to the flat monotone he normally spoke with.

"As I was saying, nothing short of absolute perfection is allowed. However, perfecting a few simple jobs won't get us very far. As important as your last job was for getting the Master Corps funding for its members, it won't prolong us for very long. We need something that will ensure the Corps has something to its name that will make it unforgettable."

"…So, what do you want us to do?" Viper asked, curiously.

"Simple. I am going to send both of you, along with two others, to confront a beast that still baffles the Guild to this day, and has done so for the last five years. By besting this creature and returning it to the Guild for research, there is no doubt that any opposition we still have would be forced to concede that the Corps is indeed worth the time, money, and effort."

"Alright, but just one question," Wes asked the Corps Head. "Exactly what is this 'mystery monster' you're sending us after?"

"A creature the Hunter's Guild only knows as a 'Lucent Nargacuga'."

* * *

"Frost, duck!"

The long sword user quickly ducked below the heavy bluish-black clubbed tail that whipped past and delivered a swift cut to the back of the ebony-hided monster his group was engaged with. In the same movement as his attack, he jumped back, putting more distance between himself and the angry, slime-covered creature.

Frost and Snow, along with another pair of hunters, had been sent to the Volcano area to deal with an exceptionally large Brachydios that had been blasting apart an entire section of the mountain lately. The area they were in was extremely hot, on account of the river of lava flowing nearby, and several lava-falls cascading down above did nothing to help. Still, the masked hunter had refused to remove his helmet for the sake of drinking something cool, ignoring the burning sensation in his body and focusing wholly on the task at hand.

He rolled aside as the Brachydios brought a slime-coated arm down where he had stood a moment before, covering the impact zone in a pile of green ooze. The substance quickly turned from green to yellow to a bright red before exploding violently. Frost had been able to leap away in time to avoid the blast, but the shockwave it produced propelled him back even farther. Planting his blue bladed long sword into the ground below, the masked hunter quickly slowed to a stop, wordlessly pulling his blade free from the hardened magma.

As Frost recovered, one of his allies, a switch-axe user by the name of Harlin, rushed past him, converting his Ceadeus-weapon into its sword mode and delivering a strong upward slice to the Brachydios' underbelly. The weapon didn't cut very deep, but the large spray of water that followed the strike washed off a good deal of the sticky substance on the creature's arms, dispelling its ability to leave the slime behind with its punches. He made to swing again, but the Brachydios quickly backed away from the hunter and avoided his next swing, licking its arms as it did so. Its saliva quickly brought more slime back to its pounders, making Harlin's attack more superfluous than anything.

Not waiting another moment, Frost sheathed his blade at his waist and dashed towards the creature, noting that several musical notes were being played by the fourth hunter's hunting horn. The hunter, Jerome, had been holding back for the most part, playing songs on his weapon to boost his comrade's abilities and only striking when it was safe to do so. The long sword user noted that not only did he immediately feel himself cool down as a result of the song, his already impressive strength seemed bolstered as well.

As he neared, Snow quickly leapt at the Brachydios from the side, delivering three quick slashes to its leg before being forced to dodge as it swung its clubbed tail towards her. Frost eyed the wound his sister had left as the beast turned, noting the triangle shape of the wound. He quickly brought his still sheathed sword up to his side, keeping a finger over the button mechanism built into the unique scabbard. Before he was able to attack, though, the Brachydios roared and made to leap through the air above the hunter.

Anticipating this, Frost slid to a stop and pressed the button right before the beast jumped. With an explosive flash of electricity, his Ivory Lagiacrus blade shot out from its scabbard in the blink of an eye. At that moment, the Brachydios was in the air above him, intent on leaping towards Harlin and blowing the switch axe user away while he reloaded a phial. The speed of Frost's attack beat the obsidian creature's powerful jumping ability, and while the long sword user missed the wound his twin had inflicted, his blade managed to cleave the spiked tail off of the Brachydios, the blue blade ringing as it separated scales and bone.

Frost groaned a little in pain as the blade slammed into the floor next to him, his swing having encompassed a wide arc above him. The force of the blade firing from the scabbard already caused him some injury on its own, but the impact did little to help. Despite this, though, Frost wrenched his blade free again, inspecting the blue blade for any damage. Seeing that the only thing wrong with it was a dull edge, the hunter pulled a whetstone out and immediately set to work sharpening the blade.

This long sword in particular was one he had modified heavily from its initial design. For one, almost a foot of the blade's length had been removed, making it far shorter than most other swords of its class. The extra space in the scabbard had gone into making the drawing mechanism, which could propel the sword almost a hundred feet away if the handle wasn't grasped when activating it. The drawbacks to these changes were somewhat severe: not only was Frost's reach much shorter because of the lack of blade, but the use of the drawing mechanism had the potential to injure his arm with every use, dulled his blade, and could even damage the integrity of the weapon if used improperly.

Fortunately, severing the Brachydios' tail while in midair had a very useful effect, aside from the obvious. The monster had flung itself off balance due to the pain from the injury, and ended up slamming into the side of the wall behind Harlin. The switch awe user had made it a point to avoid the giant obsidian creature that was hurtling through the air towards him, yelping a bit in surprise as he dove out of the way.

Snow took advantage of the slime coated monster's downed state to start dealing several consecutive slashes to the creature's underbelly, quickly bringing her shield up to block the Brachydios' attempt at kicking her. The impact, though, sent her sliding back across the hardened lava they were fighting on. Frost quickly came to her aid, stopping her from sliding too far with his left arm, as Harlin and Jerome quickly closed in on the monster to continue attacking it.

"Is your arm okay? I was hoping we could take one of its legs off, but I guess we can't do that now… Don't use the quick draw any more, not for this hunt. You just used it yesterday, and you haven't had time to recover since then."

Frost responded with a silent, though reluctant nod, accepting his sister's advice. Just because he was good at dealing with pain didn't mean he didn't feel it; the long sword user's arm caused him no small amount of grief.

A pair of surprised shouts drew both of their attentions back to the creature they were hunting. The Brachydios had recovered while they were distracted, and had blasted its two attackers away with a large explosion of slime. Harlin had managed to get far enough away that he was only sent flying from the blast, skidding across the ground. Jerome, though, had taken the brunt of the attack and was sent crashing into a large pillar of hardened lava. Fortunately enough, his armor seemed to absorb the entire attack; it was made from an ancient design that had been recently uncovered, and served as a protective exoskeleton-like shield for his whole body. The hunting horn user struggled to his feet, coughing from the impact, but still seemed battle ready.

"I broke its left pounder while it was down, and Harlin managed to crack its horn," Jerome reported, joining the two. "Still, this thing isn't going down easy. You two got any plans?"

"I think we should try and lure it somewhere we can use to our advantage… There isn't enough around here for us to use as cover, and with it being able to jump like that, there's no way we can escape it," Snow replied, checking around the area.

"Well, any ideas would be nice right about now!" Harlin shouted, leaping back to avoid the monster's pounder slamming into the ground. He had been distracting the Brachydios while the others were conversing, and was clearly having a hard time fighting it alone.

"I think that until we get a better plan, the best we can do is hold out for a bit longer," Snow said, tightening her grasp on her short sword. "Frost, Jerome, try and break its horn. Harlin, see what you can do about its other pounder!"

"I'm working on it! How about instead of telling me what to do, you actually help?!"

"You heard the guy; let's get a move on!" Jerome began to break off to the left, intending to flank the Brachydios. The twins, meanwhile, ran straight towards the creature, with Snow tackling Harlin out of the way of the obsidian creature's incoming fist. Frost quickly drew his blade and slashed at the greenish horn protruding from its head. Had his blade not been shortened, the strike might have severed the part, but his attack merely glanced off the hardened protrusion, cracking it a little bit more and causing the monster to reel its head upwards in shock.

Fortunately, the long sword wielder had some saving grace in the form of Jerome, who ran up to the Brachydios' head as it lowered again, bringing his hunting horn down onto the cracked horn with a fierce battle cry and shattering the slime-covered obsidian horn.

However, instead of reeling back again as the hunters assumed it would, the Brachydios instead let out a loud roar, forcing all present to cover their ears to avoid damaging their hearing. When they looked up, the once green slime covering the creature's arms and horn had turned yellow and spread across its back and face. The Brachydios faced the four hunters before it, nothing but pure rage building in its red eyes.

"Looks like we really pissed him off…" Harlin commented, bringing his axe up into a battle ready position.

"No, really? Never would have guessed that, dumbass," Jerome replied, taking position next to the switch axe user. "Now what do we do?"

"Well, I think we ought to think on the move, guys!" Snow shouted. "Look out!" The hunters split up to avoid a large explosion that was hurtling towards them, kicking up volcanic rocks and debris in every direction. Harlin and Jerome managed to get out of the way early, avoiding the entirety of the blast, while Snow leapt sideways and brought her shield up to block a large chunk of rock that was hurtling towards her. Frost, though, stood his ground while his companions dodged out of the way, and instead started charging _at _the explosion. Before any of the others could react to his seemingly suicidal plan, the silent hunter leapt at the last possible moment, seemingly passing through the entire explosion without a single injury! He landed with a roll and immediately charged at the Brachydios, which was completely caught off guard by Frost's frontal assault through the blast.

With a quick spin and a flash of red around him, Frost drew his long sword and dealt a powerful blow to the creature's right, unbroken arm, easily cutting through the hard obsidian plating with a flash of lightning from the Ivory Lagiacrus blade. Twisting about again, the hunter dealt another blow to the bracer, surrounded by a brief red aura of pure spirit energy. Three more slashes followed another burst of red, lightning sparking with each swing, and with a final burst of red aura, Frost dealt a blow stronger than any of the previous to the Brachydios' pounder, shattering the shell covering as he launched himself past the monster. He slid to stop behind the obsidian creature, slowly sheathing his sword as he heard the monster collapse to the ground behind him.

"Is… is it dead?" Jerome asked, surprised that the creature hadn't moved for several moments. "Damn, that was crazy! How did you jump through the blast like that?" he asked, turning his attention to Frost as the long sword user approached them.

"It was impressive," Harlin commented, walking past the silent hunter and approaching the Brachydios' body.

"Nice job, Frost," Snow complimented, smiling at her brother. He nodded to her in reply, crossing his arms. "So, I guess we're done then?"

"I guess so!" Harlin called from across the area. "This thing's as dead as an Aptonoth during Rath mating season!" the switch axe user said, kicking the creature's head and laughing.

His joy was short lived, though, as the Brachydios' eye blinked open! With a short roar, the creature charged forward slightly, slamming into the surprised hunter with its broken horn and knocking him back several feet. The obsidian monster climbed back onto its feet, knocking its damaged pounders together threateningly as it stared down the hunters.

"Or… maybe not…" Harlin coughed, pushing himself up from the ground. "Guess it wasn't going to be that easy, huh?"

"Y'know, next time you're checking to see if it's dead, why not use that giant axe instead of your damn foot?!" Jerome said irritably, pulling his hunting horn off his back. "I'll see if I can't knock it for a loop. Try and actually kill it once I knock it over, would ya?!" The two hunters charged at the beast as it licked its arms, returning some of the yellowish slime to the remains of its pounders.

"Dammit… C'mon, Frost, they'll need our help!" Snow said, beginning to follow. Before she could take a single step though, Frost tapped on her shoulder and pointed up towards the top of the cliff above them. His sister's gaze followed his gesture to a large number of boulders around the cliff, each about the size of an Aptonoth.

"What can we do with those?" she asked, confused.

Frost turned his pointed finger into a thumbs down, lowering his hand slightly to resemble a falling object.

"Oh, I get it!" Snow said, understanding his plan. "We've got to keep the Brachydios in that area for a little while! Anyone have a trap?!"

"I've got a shock trap we could use! Want me to throw it?!" the hunting horn user replied, backing up away from the Brachydios as it brought a fist down towards him.

"Save it for now! Frost, see if you can't get up there. I'll keep an eye out for you down here. Good luck!" The long sword user watched the others headed off to join Harlin in combatting the Brachydios, before turning to a cracked stone wall leading up to the boulders he was planning on using to fight the obsidian creature. He dashed towards the wall, glancing over to make sure the beast was distracted by the others, before kicking up the wall and beginning to climb.

Having lived in the Tundra all his life, Frost was accustomed to scaling ice covered slopes and walls when setting up ambushes, and running through snow drifts to pursue the quarry of his hunts. This transferred into other areas as well; he was very fast for his size, and, while not as agile as Wes or Viper had proven before, he was able to climb almost as easily as they could. Quickly making his way up the wall, Frost hoisted himself onto the cliff and looked down to where his sister and the other two hunters were still fighting the enraged beast.

He made a quick gesture to Snow, signaling that he was ready. The huntress, seeing him, quickly leapt back to avoid the Brachydios' slime covered pounder impacting the ground before her. "Jerome, now! The shock trap!"

"On it!" The hunting horn user quickly set the trap and threw the disc-like device into the ground below the monster. With a loud electrical zap, the device powered on and stunned the creature, immobilizing it with several thousand volts of electricity. The Brachydios screeched in pain as it spasmed wildly, jittering as another shock from the trap coursed through its body.

Frost had taken position behind the largest of the boulders and drew his sword, sticking it into place between the large stone and the rocky cliff. Using the sword as a lever, Frost pulled as hard as he could, shifting the boulder from its spot on the cliff. With a loud crack, the large rock rolled off the side of the cliff, falling down right above the immobilized creature below. The trap detonated below the Brachydios, but the monster didn't have enough time to move before the several-ton boulder crushed it from above, breaking through its hard shell with ease and slamming it into the hardened magma below. The obsidian creature could only let out a weak groan as it finally died, the boulder having crushed all of its internal organs into a bloody paste.

"Jeez… You could have said that was the plan…" Harlin remarked, having barely avoided the falling rock himself. Frost climbed down from his position and rejoined the others, who had been trying to carve what they could from the exposed parts of the creature, but unfortunately they were limited to its head and one of its pounders.

"Well, I got everything I could. Let's get back to the pick-up zone, eh?" Jerome suggested, pushing himself up from the ground.

"I wonder what that hunter will say when we tell him the 'Clashing Fists' of the Volcano got crushed to death," Harlin commented as they walked back to base camp. "Apparently the guy who went after it first was an old pro. When they brought him in, it was like he'd gotten blasted off the top of the mountain!"

"Poor guy," Snow remarked, walking alongside her brother. "Did they say if he was gonna be able to hunt again?"

"I dunno. I didn't hear anything about him losing any limbs, but even if he did, I'm pretty sure one of the medical specialists could get him patched up. I saw a guy yesterday who had a working prosthetic arm! I mean, seriously, now even paraplegics can get back into hunting. Imagine that!"

"Pretty crazy if you ask me," Jerome said. "I mean, my brother lost a leg to a Lagiacrus a few years ago, and suddenly he's walking around like nothing happened! I don't know if I'm glad or worried that he'll let it get to his head."

"Say, think they've got prosthetic voice boxes too?" Harlin joked. "I'm pretty sure the big guy could use one!"

"Honestly, I've never heard anyone go so long without saying anything," the hunting horn user added, laughing a little. "I'm kinda impressed, actually!"

"Hey, he just doesn't like to talk!" Snow defended. "Is there a problem with that? Or do you guys just have to go around making a big deal about it?"

"Come on, lady, can't you take a joke?" the switch axe user laughed. "Hell, we've all got our little quirks we can poke fun at! Like Jerome almost pissing himself while we were fighting that Brachydios!"

"The hell are you talking about, shit-for-brains?! You're the one who screamed like a little girl when that thing almost crashed into you!" the hunting horn user retorted. The pair soon got into an argument, hurling insults and comebacks at each other like kids throwing stones at each other. Snow and Frost hung back a little while the other hunters continued to fight with each other.

"…Think either of them would be willing to listen?" Snow asked quietly. Frost shook his head negatively and grunted a little in reply, understanding what she meant by the question. "Didn't think so… I just hope we can find someone we can really trust before anything gets out of hand…"

Frost said nothing, but nodded slowly as they continued on their way to the base camp, where their airship back to Loc Lac awaited.

* * *

"Is there any information on this thing at all? There has to be something the Guild knows about it," Wes said, reading over the contract for the hunt he and Viper had been assigned. Both hunters had gotten suited up, and were currently waiting for the other members of their team to arrive.

"Aside from it being called the 'Invisible Predator', there isn't much else to go off of," Viper remarked, going through his Hunters Notes. "But, to put things in a positive light, it's a Nargacuga, and I've got plenty of experience fighting them. What about you?"

"I've only fought one, and that was almost a year ago. I remember it pretty well though, so it shouldn't be a problem for me."

"I guess now the only question is who else is going on this hunt with us?" the archer asked, taking a seat. "Balestra didn't say anything about who'd be coming along, but there's no way he's just going to send you and me… right?"

"He did say two others would be coming along. Doesn't really matter who does join us; I'm still gonna bring that thing down!" Wes said confidently, a grin coming to his face.

"You make it sound like you're gonna be the only one actually fighting it." The pair turned to face the staircase, where a pair of armor-clad hunters were descending the steps towards them. One was garbed in a full suit of Volvidon armor, with a large hammer with a revolving chamber built into the head, while the other wore hooded robes made from G-Rank Gigginox parts. He had a pair of swords strapped to his back that seemed to be of far East make. The hunter in Volvidon armor lifted her mask up to the top of her head.

"Ruby? Balestra's sending you along with us?" Viper asked begrudgingly. "Just when I thought I would be able to get away from these crazy women…"

"Glad to see you too, Viper. Oh, and I have a message from Emmy," the red-haired huntress stated.

"Really? What did she say this time?"

"She said to go and screw off."

"Yeah, that seems about right."

"You're used to this?" Wes asked the archer.

"Since day one, yeah. It's kinda been our thing: she calls me a douchebag, I call her a bitch. It's worked out so far, at least."

"And you wonder why you're awful with women."

"Hey, I got Serena to sit with us, didn't I?"

"Because you paid her off! That isn't charm, that's bribery!"

"Hey, can you two shut it for a minute?" Ruby interjected. "F- uh, Balestra said that our ship was taking off in a few minutes, so that we should get on board now. He said that if this all goes well, we'd receive some kind of distinction in the Corps, so how about we at least move to the airship?"

"…Fine, but first, who're you? I haven't heard you say a thing since you came down here," Wes asked the Gigginox cloaked man. The only noticeable features he could make out from the man's face below his hood were his brown eyes and a pair of scars on his right cheek.

"Hmm? Oh, sorry, I thought it was more fun to listen in. The name's Ishmael," the hooded man replied, holding his gloved hand out to shake. Wes took it after a moment and smiled a bit.

"At least you aren't like Frost; he doesn't say anything. Alright, let's get on that ship! We've got a monster to hunt!"

* * *

**_Author Notes: _**_Alright, this one was fun to write! I managed to sate my love of a good fist fight and include a pretty nice hunt as well. And here's a special shout out to a fan I met online in MH3U, hunter.714, and her OC Serena! It's actually a pretty pleasant surprise to meet fans online; a few weekends ago I was playing with fellow writer and my editor, dashboardgecko, and we came across someone with a character named 'Levin' who was apparently familiar with both of our stories, though he didn't realize he was actually playing with the writers themselves. If you want to play online with me, just send a request! My Nintendo ID is the same as my user name, and my character name is Nick. Well, that's about it from me for now, so don't forget to review, follow, and favorite, and I'll see you next time!_

**_Playing: _**_MH3U, Pokémon Y, Skyrim_

**_Listening to: _**_Avenged Sevenfold, The Offspring, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance OST_

**_Watching:_**_Achievement Hunter, Red vs Blue, Gunlance tutorials online_

**_Reading:_** _The Official Dictionary of Sarcasm, The Lost Civilization: DLC_


	5. Joker and the Thief

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 5- Joker and the Thief

"Sir Balestra, the team has just been dispatched. Their airship is inbound towards the Tower now." The Corps head turned from the large back window of his office to face the pair of Guild officers standing before his desk.

"Very good… The team consists of Ruby, Wes, Ishmael, and Viper, correct?"

"Yes sir. Most of our hunters have already been dispatched on their assignments, but we should be expecting their returns within the coming hour. They were the four most prepared hunters we had available."

"I already know this. Is Mr. Joshua still working with the magma rubies?"

"Of course. He's studying the gems we already possess in the science division on the basement floor. Last I saw, he and some of the other scientists were testing what they are made from."

"Send word to him that I would like to speak with him at his earliest convenience. Mr. Corrin, if you'd please." One of the officers, Corrin, bowed and turned quickly, making his way to the elevator across the room. His partner turned to go with him, but the black uniformed man stopped him with a quick glare. "Mr. Trance, a moment?"

"Yes, sir?" The officer was a man of average height, an angular jawline, dark brown hair, and hazel eyes. He stood up straight and orderly, awaiting instruction from his superior.

"I would like you to go to the Guild Tower and retrieve the file on Mr. Wes for me. See if you cannot locate the files on Mr. Viper, Mr. Frost, and Ms. Snow as well. These four intrigue me greatly…"

"B-but sir, those are classified! To do so means I'd have to-!"

"I do not care how you must go about obtaining them, it only matters that you retrieve them for me. Must I ask you again, _Mr. Trance?_"

The officer shuddered a little, as if in fear, but bowed to the Corps head in reluctant agreement. "O-of course, sir… I'll get them for you right away."

"Very good… Now then, leave me to my business. Good day to you, Mr. Trance." Balestra turned his back on the man as the officer quickly departed. He removed his wide brimmed uniform hat and set it on top of an open document on the desk behind him before looking intently out the large window at the city below, the late afternoon sun flooding through the clear glass and tinting his chamber a bright yellow-orange.

_If those four manage to successfully hunt the Lucent Nargacuga, the Corps may be able to sustain itself for far longer than I had initially believed… Though sending them out at this time may have been a mistake, if the research on this creature is to be believed… Their ship will arrive at dusk, and tonight is a full moon, which the researchers believe is what gives it its ability to vanish from sight… I suppose time will tell if they are skilled enough to slay the beast at its best._

* * *

"_**Alright, hunters, we're right over the Tower hunting ground! I'm gonna drop you in a couple seconds, so make sure you've got your parachutes on! Good luck down there; I think you'll need it!"**_

The four barely had time to check the straps of their chutes before the floor was pulled away, dropping them all into free fall. Wes, Ishmael, Viper, and Ruby all plummeted towards the immense platform below, the wind whipping past them as they picked up speed. Wes noted that in the half hour it had taken them to arrive, the sun had dipped below the horizon and was replaced by a full moon, visible behind the Tower in the distance. The entire area below was rather unique; no one actually knew why the structure had been built, or why powerful monsters seemingly flocked to it. It wasn't the only one of its kind, though; towers such as this one dotted the land, acting as timeless relics to an age long past.

The hunters steered themselves towards a ledge overlooking the area the monster was apparently known to visit, opening their parachutes and gliding in a gentle descent to the rocky outcropping. Wes landed first, followed by Viper, then Ruby, and lastly, Ishmael. Upon landing, Wes pulled his hood up and checked into the area below, scanning it as closely as he could.

"I don't see anything at all. Just a bunch of fog and stone… This better not have been a waste of time!"

"Maybe we should look around before jumping to any conclusions. I really doubt Balestra would be willing to waste resources on something he didn't think was real," Ruby remarked, pulling her Volvidon mask to the top of her head.

"It might be a bit soon to say, but I believe the Lucent Nargacuga is known as the 'Invisible Predator' for a reason…" Ishmael said. "Think it might be able to turn invisible?"

"What, like a Chameleos?" Viper asked, hooking a coating onto his bow. "I haven't seen any of those in these parts, but I'd hate to see the love-child of a Narga and one of those things."

"Well, there's only one way to find out!" Wes said, clenching his fist in anticipation. _Finally! Something no one has ever fought before! This'll definitely make me well known, I just know it! You won't be the best for long, Pa! _With an excited leap, Wes jumped off the ledge, followed by the other three hunters. The fall wasn't far, only about ten feet, and his leggings absorbed all the shock from the landing, so Wes was on his feet in no time at all. The others landed somewhat gracefully as well, but Wes paid no mind to them as he scanned the area before them. The moonlight from behind the distant tower seemed to make the fog glow.

A slight movement in the mist immediately drew his attention towards a rock off to the right. It wasn't almost anything, only a slight shift in the fog, but Wes wasn't about to drop his guard for anything. He focused his hearing on the area around him, listening for anything that sounded unnatural. He heard the light footsteps of his teammates behind him as they neared him, warily scanning the area for any sign of their quarry.

"I don't see anything…" the Gigginox robed hunter murmured. "I don't know, Ruby. You sure Balestra didn't make a mistake?"

"There's gotta be something around here," she replied, glancing around.

"Hey, be quiet for a sec," Wes whispered back, shushing the huntress when she tried to object. "I heard something…" Sure enough, he heard a light scraping sound like claws on stone, almost silent to the untrained ear. The others stopped moving as well, turning with their backs to each other so they could cover all sides. Wes closed his eyes, trying to pinpoint the creature's location…

"Viper! Three O'clock!" The words had barely left Wes' lips when a single arrow was flung from the golden-eyed archer's bow, flying straight and true in the direction the dual blade wielder had called out. There was an audible rebounding sound as the arrow struck a hard, invisible surface and clattered to the ground noisily. The hunters readied themselves as a large monster with a metallic-azure hide seemingly phased into existence before them. It had a long body with wide, sharp-looking wings. Its eyes shone an unnatural red, below which was located a beaked mouth. It had a long, whip-like tail with numerous spikes and scales lining the entire appendage.

"So… this is the so called 'Moon Swift Wyvern'?" Wes remarked, grinning dare-devilishly as he grabbed the handles of his dual blades. He quickly unsheathed the swords from his back, leveling one in the direction of the growling panther-like monster before them. "Alright! This is where the real hunt begins! I'm gonna be the one to take you down!"

"We'll need a plan to take this thing down quick," Ruby began. "Wes, how about you flank right and-"

The hunter immediately charged at the Nargacuga, leaving his comrades in the dust as he neared the quarry of the hunt. The lucent creature let out a short howl before snapping its jaws at him. Wes side-stepped the attack quickly and lashed out at the monster's head, intending to brain it with his extremely sharp sword. To his surprise, though, the blade didn't pierce through the creature's hard skull at all, deflecting off the thick bone and jarring the dual blade wielder's arm in the process. He quickly ducked to avoid the Nargacuga's tail as the creature spun around, and rolled away to avoid having his arm crushed inside the monster's snapping jaws.

"Dammit Wes! What the hell are you trying to pull?!" Ruby shouted, drawing her hammer as she neared the monster's flank and bringing the weapon down on its claw. The Nargacuga yelped in pain before leaping into the air and disappearing from sight.

"What the-? Where did it go?!" Viper asked, his last shot arrow having flown through the air the Moon Swift Wyvern had occupied a moment before. His answer came in the form of the Nargacuga leaping through the air at him, reappearing from the fog like a specter. The archer let out a short, unintelligible curse as he dove away from the inbound monster's bulk.

As the creature slid to a stop, Ishmael ran at it from the side, darting behind the Nargacuga's sharpened wing and attacking its main body with his foreign dual blades. He was only able to land a couple hits before the monster again leapt away and disappeared from sight.

"This thing's hide is thick… My swords are some of the sharpest around, but I could hardly cut through it at all!" the Gigginox robed hunter said, backpedaling towards the other hunters.

"I didn't really do much with the hit I managed to land," Ruby noted, glancing around the area.

"Its skull is extremely thick too… I thought a quick stab in the head would bring it down, but I guess it isn't going to be that simple," Wes said, narrowing his sight on the Lucent Nargacuga as it reappeared before them. The Moon Swift Wyvern raised its tail and began shaking it back and forth, causing the spikes lining the narrow appendage to point outwards as if it was a spiked mace.

"Wait a minute, it isn't even enraged yet! How're its tailspikes out?!" Viper said, surprised. He quickly flung an arrow at the creature as it whipped its tail around, returning fire in the form of numerous purple-tinted azure spikes, forcing the four to split up to avoid the projectiles. Viper backpedaled away from the spikes while Ruby and Ishmael broke off in either direction. Wes, meanwhile, leapt underneath the spikes and again ran at the creature with reckless abandon. Easily seeing his frontal charge, the Nargacuga swiped its tail around at the hunter, intending to spear him with the numerous spikes lining its tail.

However, Wes hadn't planned on a simple frontal assault. He grinned to himself as he dropped to the ground, sliding beneath the tailspikes and the Nargacuga's body. As he slid, he slashed four times in succession, rolling out from beneath the creature and darting away in case it tried to retaliate. A small amount of blood coated the edges of his dual swords, and a few puddles had formed beneath the creature before it moved again, disappearing from sight.

"I got a hit! Its underbelly is a weakpoint!" he called to his teammates, slashing his swords to clear the red liquid off of the blades.

"That isn't an easy spot to hit, y'know!" Viper replied, switching the coating on his bow to a yellowish phial. "If I get enough clear shots, I'll paralyze it!"

"Alright, Ishmael, go for its tail!" Ruby ordered, pulling her mask down over her face. "Break those spikes off! Wes, try and get at its underbelly when it's immobilized! I'll go for its head!"

"Since when did you take over?! I'm doing my own thing!" Wes shouted back defiantly. "I'll hit it where it'll hurt most; I'm not gonna sit underneath it like an idiot!"

"Now's not the time to argue about a plan! Look out!" Ishmael quickly tackled Ruby out of the way as several more purple tinged spikes flew towards them, though one of the projectiles struck him in the side as he went. The robed hunter gasped in shock as the tailspike punched through the study Gigginox hides protecting him and pierced his side.

"Ishmael! Are you okay?" the huntress asked, getting to her feet and helping the downed hunter.

"Ugh… P-poison… there's poison… in the spikes…" he replied, grimacing in pain. His face had noticeably paled, and his eyes were already somewhat glossy.

"Dammit… Wes, Viper! I'm going to pull him into cover and work on his wound! Try to keep this thing busy!"

"I think Wes is already on that," Viper replied, nocking a few arrows and running over to the beast's flank. "Get Ishmael outta here, we've got this!"

The red haired huntress quickly pulled the downed hunter away from the battle zone. Wes, in the meantime, had been engaged with the Nargacuga in a ferocious back and forth struggle, drawing all its attention towards himself. It was almost as if he was dueling the Moon Swift Wyvern; he would deflect its jaws with one blade, and strike out with the other, only to be stopped by the sharp wing the monster brought up to strike the hunter.

"Come on, that the best you got?!" Wes taunted, leaping away from the sharp claws the Nargacuga swung at him. "I've got all night!"

"Wes, duck!" The dual blade user spared a quick glance back before dropping below a volley of arrows coated in paralytic venom, courtesy of Viper. Some of the projectiles deflected off of the harder parts of the Nargacuga, but two of them managed to sink into the monster's flesh, causing it to howl in pain and leap away, disappearing yet again.

"Son of a bitch… Just when we think we have an opening, it does that!" the dual blade user groaned, rejoining the archer in scanning the area for their quarry. "We need a way to track it while it's invisible… Got any ideas?"

"Well, I don't feel like wasting too many arrows on a target I can't see, so until it reappears, I've got nothin'."

Before Wes could speak up, the Moon Swift Wyvern reappeared before them, leaping through the air towards the pair of hunters with a fierce roar. They quickly split up to avoid being crushed or shredded by the monster's claws, and Wes retaliated by thrusting his left hand sword into the Nargacuga's side, actually burying a good portion of the blade into the creature's thick hide. Before he could pull the blade free, though, the monster whipped its whole body around, knocking Wes away with a hard blow to the chest from its lower tail.

Viper yelped as several poisonous spikes flew past him, one of them almost striking him in the head as he rolled away. Wes heard a slight clattering sound as a few phials fell out of the archer's open pouch, one of them smashing into the ground and spilling its bluish contents onto the ground.

"Dammit! My sleep coating! We could've used that!" Viper shouted, exasperated at his own misfortune. He noted one of the other containers that had landed, though, and quickly picked up the cracked glass container. "Wait a sec… Wes, I got a plan!"

"Spare me the details, just do it!" the dual blade wielder replied, having recovered from his injury quickly and reengaging the Nargacuga. Any attention he had shifted to the archer had now fully returned to the Moon Swift Wyvern. His second blade remained firmly stuck into the monster's side, so the hunter replaced it with his left wrist blade instead. _I lost most of my reach in my left arm when I dropped the sword… I'm going to have to make do with what I got… _

The hunter quickly rolled aside to avoid another swipe from the monster's claw, slashing the thin hide on its arm as he recovered. Twisting around as fast as he could, Wes lunged out with his left arm, intending to pierce the Nargacuga's eye with his wrist blade, but he fell short as the azure monster leapt away from him. It was then that Wes noticed what Viper had been up to during the exchange.

"…Viper, what the hell is that?" The archer had simply tied the glass jar to the tip of one of his arrows, nocking the projectile onto the bowstring and pulling back as far as he could. He launched it at the Moon Swift Wyvern as it began to lunge at them, smashing the glass container over its head. The contents of the container, a bright pink liquid, splattered all over the monster's head and part of its back. The creature yelped in surprise as the substance flew into its eyes as well, and it shook its head madly to try and remove the bright paint from its fur.

"A paint coating! I almost never use 'em, but I don't think that this thing can turn invisible when it's got paint splattered all over it!"

"Nice thinking! But now it's my turn!" With the way clear, Wes sprinted at the stunned creature and leapt into the air, drawing the blade from his wrist in midair before thrusting the blade into the Nargacuga's eye socket. With a screech of pain, the monster stumbled back, freeing Wes' wrist blade from its now useless eye. It let out a surprised yelp as it realized it had no vision on the right side, but the small victory the hunter had achieved was soon proved short-lived. The Moon Swift Wyvern inhaled deeply and roared loudly, its remaining eye now glowing with a bright crimson light.

"I think you really pissed 'em off!" Viper warned, nocking another few arrows onto his bow. "We're really gonna need a plan here, Wes!"

"Aside from you shooting when I make an opening? Yeah, we need to do more damage," the dual blade wielder replied.

"Hang on, I've got it! We need to switch places!"

"Whaddya mean? I'm not gonna throw my sword at it!"

"No, I mean you wait for an opportunity while I distract it! I can get its attention better than you; you aren't much of the joker type. I'd say you fit the thief theme much better."

"Oh, I get it… So, the joker fools the monster into paying attention to him…"

"…and the thief takes the chance to slip in and take him by surprise!"

"Alright, try not to get killed, Joker!" Wes dropped to a crouch and rolled away, using the fog layer on the ground as a cover to hide his presence; it helped that a good portion of his suit was white, effectively acting as camouflage in the wispy mist. Viper was making good on holding the creature's attention, shouting at it and flinging arrows at it regularly while staying just outside its reach. It was slow going waiting for a set-up, something Wes found extremely tedious, but his first opportunity to strike out came quickly as the Nargacuga leapt over him in an attempt to pounce onto the archer.

"You're mine!" Wes lunged upwards, stabbing his sword straight through the Moon Swift Wyvern's abdomen as it passed overhead, grabbing his other blade with his free hand and pulling both free in one fluid motion, dropping back into a crouch to conceal himself in the fog once again.

The azure beast, meanwhile, had collapsed to the ground in surprise from the sudden attack, and Viper took advantage of its downed state to launch several volleys of arrows into its side. He must have reapplied the paralytic coating, as the arrows let off yellow bolts of electricity as they penetrated the Nargacuga's flesh. The beast didn't seem to pay Viper any mind though, instead looking around intently for Wes with its glowing red eye.

"Hey, you giant prick! Over here!" A piercing arrow flung from the golden-eyed archer shot straight through the creature's left wing, making it yelp in pain as more of the paralytic coating seeped into its body. Still, the monster resisted the effects, returning its attention to Viper and flinging several poison tipped tailspikes at him. Viper had already moved well out of the way by then though, and before the Lucent Nargacuga could chase after him, Wes struck again from the fog, this time leaping over its back and dealing a powerful blow to its spine, laughing as he again rolled into the fog and disappeared from sight.

A whistle from Viper preceded an arrow again finding its mark in the wounded monster's side, and the beast howled in agony as the projectile buried itself into its flesh. "Eyes over here, you dumb beast!" The monster shot an angry glare at the archer, who had already nocked another arrow onto his green-scaled bow. "Or should I say, 'eye'?!" He shot the arrow straight for Nargacuga's head, but it leapt away before the projectile could find its mark. The Moon Swift Wyvern had attempted to turn itself invisible as it did so, but the large splatter of pink paint covering its head and back remained visible, allowing the hunter's to keep a visual on its movement.

The beast landed nearby Wes, who immediately took the chance and attacked again, slicing his swords three times at the monster's tail and shattering numerous spikes off of the lash. He ducked away again as the monster turned to face its assailant, smirking to himself as the beast tried to pick him out from the fog. _Guess your advantages are being turned against you now! _Viper shot the confused wyvern once again, drawing its attention back to him and signaling to Wes to run at it from behind.

Having already decided this would be his course of action, Wes broke into a sprint towards the Moon Swift Wyvern as it neared Viper, who had been charging at it with several arrows nocked in his bow. The wounded monster snapped at the archer with its powerful jaws, but the golden-eyed bow user evaded with a dexterous jump, kicking off of the monster's head as its mouth clamped shut where he had once been. At the same time, Wes had leapt up the Nargacuga's back leg and jumped over its back.

As the hunters passed each other, both dealt a powerful strike to the Moon Swift Wyvern: Wes slashed both of his swords deep into the monster's lower back, and Viper released five paralytic arrows directly into its upper back. Both landed on either side of the heavily injured monster with a roll, and Wes turned quickly and dealt another blow to the Moon Swift Wyvern's face, though his weapon deflected off of the creature's tough skull again.

Viper ran along the monster's side and fired another volley of arrows into it, rejoining the dual blade wielder. It seemed that the paralytic coating Viper had applied to his projectiles finally took effect, immobilizing the Lucent Nargacuga. The creature stood in place, spasming every so often as it began to lose control of its nerves.

"Looks like we picked a good time to get back into the fight!" Wes glanced over to see Ruby and a fully recovered Ishmael running at the Nargacuga's flank, drawing their weapons as they neared. Ruby immediately went for the head, slamming her revolving hammer into the Moon Swift Wyvern's face repeatedly. Ishmael went for the tail, hacking into the spikes with his eastern-made dual blades and shattering several of them with a single swing. Viper began to launch single, precise arrows at the monster, careful to avoid his teammates with the projectiles.

Wes, being as hot blooded as he was, wasn't going to simply let the others take advantage of the opening, though. The hooded hunter ran at the still stunned monster and kicked off of its wing, leaping onto its back just as easily as before. Sheathing his right handed sword on his back, the hunter drew his second wrist blade a thrust it into the Nargacuga's back and tightened his grip on its fur, holding on tight as the monster finally regained its ability to move and shook itself to regain the feeling in its body. It almost immediately began to throw itself this way and that, launching poisonous spikes in every direction and shaking itself wildly to try and throw that hunter off of its back.

Still, Wes' grip held, and using his free sword, he began to repeatedly slash into the monster's back, initially having difficulties cutting through the hard fur and scales covering it but managing to cut his way through and drawing more and more blood with each slash. Eventually, though, his grip failed, and Wes found himself thrown off of the Lucent Nargacuga's back, landing hard on his back and rolling to a stop. He coughed a little as he got back to his feet, finding himself joined by the others in his party.

"We've almost got it now… We need to hit it where it hurts," Ruby said, glancing between them all. "I have an idea that might work, but I need you all to trust me enough to let me do it."

"Viper and I we're doing just fine a minute ago!" Wes replied, a confident smirk crossing his face. "You two ought to just hang back and watch us take this thing down! You've got a front row seat, after all!"

"We don't know if this thing is even close to death yet though!" Ishmael protested. "You've done a lot of damage to it from what I can see, but it still doesn't look like it's tiring out."

"Not for long it won't!" Viper replied, nocking another arrow onto his bow. "Wes, let's hit it from the side!"

"Got it! You two, try and keep its attention off of us!" Wes and Viper immediately ducked away as the Moon Swift Wyvern charged at the group of hunters, leaving Ruby and Ishmael to dodge the monster's bulk. Ishmael recovered first, lunging at the monster's side and slashing it with both swords at once, leaving an X shaped cut in its side. He was sent flying, though, when the Nargacuga whipped its tail around, striking him across the upper torso with the whip-like appendage.

Ruby ducked below the tail as it neared her, swinging her hammer around and slamming her gun hammer into the Moon Swift Wyvern's head, a burst of flames following the impact. The huntress quickly went to strike again, but the monster leapt away before she could land another blow.

"Wes, now!" Viper immediately stood up from the fog and shot an arrow into the side of the Nargacuga's neck, causing it to flinch in pain and turn towards the archer. In doing so, it failed to notice the fast-approaching dual blade wielder charging it from the front, and with a devilish grin the hunter held his swords aloft, focusing his emotions and his spirit into the blades and becoming enveloped in a red aura of spirit energy.

"Let's dance!"

* * *

"Trance, I've already told you, I can't let you see the Guildmaster right now! He's in a meeting with the city council."

"I understand perfectly, believe me. Sir Balestra didn't wish for me to speak with the Guildmaster, though, he told me he left something of value in Mr. Graffin's office, and I am to retrieve it."

The Guild officer was currently engaged in a rather frustrating debate with the Guildmaster's secretary. Despite having thought up of an elaborate cover story along the way to the tower to retrieve the documents, the woman behind the front desk still seemed completely opposed to allowing him access to the man's office. While he found the entire debacle to be both wholly unnecessary and exceedingly bothersome, Trance forced himself to keep a calm, business-like demeanor and to handle the situation formally.

"It would only take me a moment or so, Elesa. Is it really that big of an issue?"

"Yes, it is. I'm not to allow anyone into his office while he's away, for any reason."

"Not even an old friend?" he asked, leaning forward onto the desk and tipping his hat up.

"Trance, last time we saw each other, you were barely even a member of the Enforcement Division and you almost killed a man for stealing a loaf of bread! We might have been friends back at the Guild Academy, but that doesn't mean I can make an exception for you. I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait until Mr. Graffin returns."

"You know how much Balestra despises waiting…"

"We all do, Trance. I'm really sorry, but you'll have to come back another time." Despite her words, the woman didn't seem at all apologetic, which Trance could easily see.

"…Very well then. Good to see you again, Lesa. We really must get together for a drink sometime."

"Flirting didn't work at the academy, and it definitely won't now, Trance. Do I need to show you the way out?"

"No, I'm quite alright. And for the record, that man pulled a knife on me first." The Guild officer reluctantly turned and walked to the staircase, sighing to himself as he began to descend the steps. Not intending to give up so easily, though, he waited until he was well out of sight before opening a window and climbing out onto a scaffolding surrounding the tower. The wind was rather fierce, blowing harshly against the man as he slowly made his way across the wooden platforms.

"Good thing the restorers have the day off today…" he mumbled to himself. An especially harsh gust of wind blew his hat off his head, and despite his fast attempt to catch the red object, it flew away from him, spiraling slowly to the city hundreds of feet below. Trance swallowed nervously before continuing on, eventually ending up below the Guildmaster's office. "Also a good thing Graffin keeps a window open all the time… Gotta be careful though… One slip and I'm done for…"

Carefully finding a sizable lump of bone to use as a hand hold, Trance began to meticulously climb towards the window. Although the distance was only about ten feet or so, it felt a lot farther for the clamoring officer's shaky grips and cautious footholds. The climb seemed to take far longer, but after a few moments the officer dropped into the Guildmaster's office and quietly made his way over to the filing cabinets that contained the dossiers on all the hunters in the city.

"Let's see here… W… Ah, here it is, Wes… Looks like this is it… Don't think anyone else has eyes like that, at least," he murmured, slipping the file into the bag he carried with him. "Okay, V… Viper, I believe… Weird name, but that's number two... S is for Snow… Huh, she's definitely quite the looker… And lastly, Frost… Even in his registration picture he has his helmet on? I'm pretty sure that's illegal… Alright, that's all of em'…"

The jiggling of the doorknob drew his attention immediately; someone was coming! Trance looked around quickly in a brief panic, trying to find a hiding place, and settled on a nearby storage box with an open top. The door opened hardly a second after he had hidden himself, and Elesa quickly stepped in, gazing around the office slowly before walking over to Graffin's desk and setting a stack of papers on top of it. The secretary quickly departed, making sure to check the room one final time before locking the door again.

"Dammit Lesa, you almost gave me a heart attack…" Trance quickly made his way out of the office the same way he came in, reentering the tower and quickly descending to the bottom floor using the main elevator. Some of the other officers who saw him in the elevator gave him strange looks due to his lack of a uniform hat, but he explained quickly that it had been lost when he had removed it on the observation platform.

Having obtained what the Corps Head had ordered, Trance left the Guild Tower, intent on returning to the Master Corps HQ building. Walking across the bridge leading to the tower in the center of the desert oasis, the officer yelped and leapt back a little in surprise as a red object suddenly flew in front of him and landed on the bridge.

"…My hat? How long did it- Oh, whatever…" The officer picked his uniform hat up from the ground, dusted it off, and placed it snugly on his head before going on his way, whistling a merry tune to himself.

* * *

Wes launched himself at the Nargacuga in a flurry of blades, slicing this way and that, cutting long gashes into the surprised creature's body as he moved below its head and into a crouch, slashing wildly into its chest. The Moon Swift Wyvern howled in agony before leaping away again, though it stumbled and fell because of its injuries. "Come on, come on! I'm not done yet! Get back here!" Wes followed after the beast intently as the other hunters moved to attack it as well.

"Wes, listen for a sec!" Ruby called. "I know how we can bring it down! Just listen for a second!"

"Alright, alright, fine, what is it?!" he answered, somewhat begrudgingly.

"I think a show off like you will like this; get in front of me, and I'll launch you into the air above it! Try and take it out when you fall!"

"Are you insane?! How would that even work?!" Ishmael called, overhearing the plan as he neared the struggling monster.

"I like it!" Wes answered, grinning dare-devilishly and losing his previously hostile tone. "Guess you know me a bit better than I thought! Alright, get ready!" The huntress moved behind him while Viper and Ishmael backed away to avoid getting in the way of their allies' seemingly foolhardy plan.

"Alright, jump, blondie!" Though irritated by the nickname yet again, Wes quickly leapt upwards, landing on the back of the head of Ruby's hammer. The momentum behind her swing carried him upwards, and a discharge of fire from the hammer's internal chamber launched the dual blade user high into the air. He laughed excitedly as he flew through the air, twisting in midair and falling rapidly towards the weakened beast below. The creature barely managed to turn its sight skyward before Wes buried both of his swords into its skull using the momentum from his fall to strengthen their piercing power.

"'Eye' see you, Narga," Wes chuckled, seeing one of his blades had pierced the creature's remaining eye. He yanked both blades free of the monster's skull and leapt off of its back, landing in a crouch and sheathing the swords as he heard the Moon Swift Wyvern's dying roar and collapse behind him.

"Now _that _is what I'm talking about!" Viper victoriously stated, collapsing his bow and sheathing it on his back. "Nice finisher, too!"

"What can I say, I aim to please," Wes replied somewhat smugly, getting to his feet and performing a rather elaborate hand shake with the archer. "We might need to work on that a little…"

"I still don't get how that worked, but I'm not complaining," Ishmael said, sighing a bit and drinking a potion. "I gotta say, hearing about how my brother got his ass whooped by you definitely makes a lot more sense now."

"Brother? Sorry, you might have to specify: I've been fighting people somewhat regularly for the past couple days."

"Curt. You met him on the boat, remember? He's my older brother. Said Ruby here paid him and another hunter to fight you."

"We didn't bribe him!" Ruby defended. "We just… had to persuade him a little."

"Well, you saw how far that got you, eh?" Wes mocked. "Alright, let's call down the airship. We bagged our mystery monster, after all!"

"On it." Viper pulled out the signal flare and launched the bright red projectile into the air. Knowing it would be a little while before the ship arrived though, the four decided to explore the area a little. Ruby investigated a pile of elder dragon bones while Ishmael inspected the Lucent Nargacuga's body. Wes and Viper decided to look around for any of the tail spikes the beast had launched during the fight.

"Most tail spikes Nargas launch shatter on impact," Viper commented, picking up one of the fragments of a broken spike. "They grow in so fast, they don't usually get strong enough to survive the force of striking hard objects."

"But the ones that don't get launched get a lot stronger the longer they remain," the dual blade user replied. "My pa made a weapon using a Narga's tailspike once. What are you looking to use one for?"

"Well, I was hoping to make a lucky arrowhead with one, but seeing those wrist blades of yours, I think I want one of those now," the archer replied, gesturing towards the hunter's arm bracers.

"Hah, well, if you want, I can get my pa to make one for you. These things are pretty damn nice to have," Wes noted drawing both of the blades from his wrists to show them off. "Sure, not the best thing to kill a wyvern with, but they come through in a pinch. Plus, they work pretty handily as carving knives."

"Seriously?! That'd make my day, bud! One question though."

"Yeah? What's up?"

"Will I have to pay for this?"

"Knowing my pa, yes."

Ah well, guess that's the breaks… Hey, lookie here!" The archer paused and reached down, where a silvery-azure spike was embedded in the hard stone ground. The archer carefully plucked it free, mindful of the poison coating the edge. The spike looked sharp and strong, a perfect specimen for a wrist blade. "Think this'll do?"

"Probably! I'll send this to him when we get back. I'm going to have to teach you how to use it, though. If you aren't careful, you could lose a finger."

"If it'll give me an option when I'm stuck in close range, I'll take it."

Not long after, two airships landed on the platform by the monster's corpse. The hunters helped tie the carcass below the larger of the two before boarding the second ship and taking off into the night sky.

"Wes, why were you so against working with us before?" Ruby asked, taking a seat on one of the benches inside the cabin across from Wes and Viper. "You practically blew us off when we tried to work together to take it down."

"Whattya mean? Wes and I wrecked that thing!" Viper said victoriously, fist-bumping the dual blade wielder as he did.

"I meant with Ishmael and I! There was no coordination with the rest of us at all! We could've been really badly injured if things hadn't gone the way they did!"

"I don't see why you're making such a big deal about this," Wes replied, crossing his arms and leaning back. "We didn't get that badly injured. In fact, aside from Ishmael taking that tailspike for you, all we got is a couple bruises here and there."

"That's not the point! If we're going to survive hunts in the future, I need to know my teammates are watching my back, not trying to show off and make themselves look better!"

"Hey, we covered you, didn't we?" Viper retorted. "If Wes and I hadn't kept it off of you, neither you or Ishmael would've made it, lady!"

"Well, it's not like I couldn't do anything..." Ishmael muttered. "I just didn't bring antidotes with me. I could still fight."

"Ishmael, you aren't really helping here," Ruby sighed. "Look, blondie, you need to shape up next time. Not everyone is going to want to watch you show off all the time, and that attitude will only get you killed later on!"

"Yeah, sure, we'll see about that," the hunter smugly replied. "You think that I am the way I am for no reason? Let me put it this way for you, red-head. Most people have something to prove. Me? I've got _everything _to prove." _I'm not going to be in your shadow forever, Pa... Just you wait. You taught me everything, but I'm going to learn even more than you did! We'll see who the best is then!_

* * *

Trance approached the door to the office, taking a moment to compose himself before knocking on the Corps Head's door. "You may enter." The officer quickly opened it and stepped into the office, walking over to Balestra's desk. "Ah, Mr. Trance. Did you acquire the files I requested?"

"Yes sir, they're right here," he replied, pulling the dossiers out of his courier bag and handing them over to the crimson-eyed man.

"I trust they were not too… difficult to access?"

"It was not easy, but I managed."

"What lengths did you have to go to retrieve them?"

"I… Well, I tried to ask the receptionist to allow me to enter Mr. Graffin's office, but the old coot decided to lock down the place when he's away. So… I moved onto the scaffolding outside and I climbed in through an open window."

"I see… How very dedicated you are."

"I aim to please, sir."

"And you have, Mr. Trance. You are dismissed. I will call for you when I have another task." The officer saluted Balestra before turning and leaving the office, sighing in relief as he shut the door behind him.

"Why is it so nerve-wracking to talk with him? I felt like my heart was going to burst out of my chest…!" he mumbled to himself, stepping away from the office with a short sigh of relief. "At least I'm off for the rest of the night…" He walked down the hall towards the stairs; the elevator had broken down again, and was being repaired, meaning the stairs were the only option. Before he reached them, though, he saw another man walking up the steps. Trance quickly stepped aside to allow him to pass, noting his blue captain's coat.

"Thank you," the captain said, reaching the top of the stairs. "Pretty awful having to walk all the way from the ground floor up here…"

"I agree, Sir Dustin. The mechanic said the elevator repairs were going well, but that the design was still prone to the occasional failure."

"You don't have to be as formal around me as you do with Balestra, officer," Dustin laughed. "I have a meeting with the man now, actually. I don't recall seeing you around here before though. Are you new?"

"Ah, yes, I am. Sir Balestra personally requested for me to act as a Guild representative of the Master Corps. My name is Trance," the officer said, removing his hat and bowing slightly.

"Trance, eh? Peculiar name, no?"

"So I've been told. If I may ask, what is your meeting with the Corps Master about?"

"Just an update on something he wanted me to look into for him. I can't tell you much more, though, Have to retain some confidentiality."

"Ah, pardon my curiosity. I won't hold you any longer then, Sir- uh, Dustin." The captain nodded with a slight smile before walking past and entering Balestra's office, leaving the officer alone at the stairs. "Quite the odd assortment of people Sir Balestra has gathered here…"

* * *

"Welcome back! I guess that Brachydios wasn't anything you guys couldn't handle, eh?" Sal asked, seeing the group of four hunters returning from the Volcano.

"Hah! It wasn't exactly easy, but we took it down in no time!" Harlin boasted. "Smeared it into paste even!"

"Well, that was Frost's idea," Snow mentioned. "Still, this is the reason we're in the Master Corps! To hunt everything other hunters can't!"

"That monster in particular was causing some major damage to the Volcano, and it was getting closer to a nearby town too, so it's really good that you could stop it," the liaison said, smiling cheerfully. "You all should be proud!"

"Thanks, Sal. But if you don't mind, I've gotta go and see a smith. My armor took a big hit for me back there," Jerome said, waving farewell to the others and leaving.

"Might as well join him. My axe is a bit cracked on the edge…" Harlin departed as well, leaving Frost and Snow with Sal.

"I think we could use a break now," Snow said. "It's only day two, and we've already had two jobs. We don't have another job, do we?"

"Nope! You two are all set; rest easy!" Sally replied cheerfully. "Oh, and your friends Wes and Viper are on a job right now, just in case you were wondering."

"Alright, thanks!" The twins made their way up to the third floor, passing a Guild officer walking from the upper floors as they went. The man looked after Snow a little as she walked past, but the huntress didn't pay much mind as she and her brother returned to their rooms. She sighed exhaustedly as she sat down, beginning to change out of her armor.

_I wonder what those two are after… I hope they're okay. Those two are alright, even if Viper's a bit of a goofball, and Wes is a bit of a showoff… Maybe they'll make trustworthy friends… I just hope Frost agrees. He'd better watch that arm of his too… First time he used that quick draw he almost took his arm off! I just wish he'd talk to people again… At least he'll talk to me sometimes, but it isn't easy speaking for two… Guess I'll just have to wait and see._

* * *

"I see... Very well done, all of you," Balestra said to the four hunters lined up in his office. "This is a tremendous milestone for the Corps. You all should be quite pleased with yourselves."

"It wasn't anything we couldn't handle," Ishmael replied with a quick bow. "Are we dismissed then?"

"Yes, you three may go," the Corps head said, motioning to Wes, Viper, and Ishmael. "Ms. Ruby, I would like to speak with you. Good day to the rest of you."

The three hunters departed Balestra's office and made their ways back to their rooms. As it turned out, Ishmael was on the same floor as Wes, which the dual blade wielder found to be a somewhat nice surprise. _Good to know there's someone on this level I can talk to... Speaking of which... _"Sapphire, you should really work on your hiding skills," Wes said, turning to face the same potted plant the huntress had hid behind last time. "It really isn't that hard to see you back there."

"Aww, and I was hoping to surprise you!" the blue-haired huntress teased. "How did the hunt go? Is Ruby alright?"

"Yeah, we all made it back just fine. Red-head's still in Balestra's office, if you were looking for her."

"I was just wondering if you all were okay. I heard you all went off before sundown. My team made it back about an hour ago. What was your job?"

"We had to hunt something called a 'Lucent' Nargacuga. Ever hear the rumors about one?"

"No, but it sounds like it wasn't easy! Is that some kind of new subspecies?"

"Yeah, apparently it's the first one anyone has ever hunted. Still, it wasn't anything I couldn't handle."

"Oh, so since you hunted it first, did you come up with a nickname for it? That's the tradition, after all!"

"I thought Lucy made the most sense, but Ruby thought we should call it Cloud."

"Lucy? Wow, that's clever! Ruby wasn't ever really good with nicknames," Sapphire laughed. "Oh, I almost forgot! I saw someone bring a package into your room earlier. Guess someone sent you a gift!"

"Really? Guess I'll take a look then. Thanks for telling me."

"Don't mention it! See ya later, Wes!" The hunter entered his room with a quick wave to the huntress, flipping the lights on and closing the door. He saw that, just as Sapphire said, there was a box on his desk, with a letter attached to it. Wes knew who the gift was from just by seeing the intricately written 'Y' on the box's side. The hunter first opened the envelope, reading the familiarly written lines over carefully.

_Wes,_

_Glad to hear you made it to Loc Lac safely! It used to take almost a week to make that journey when I was younger. Good to see Dustin's made a career out of sailing, though. Tell him your mother and I said hi, would you?_

_And trust me, I understand the feeling of getting a nice place to sleep for once. I had to stay in that same room for a few years since your mother claimed the main bedroom. But because you plan on staying so long, I've taken the liberty of reconverting your room back into my workshop. Hope you don't mind!_

_It's good of you to have made some friends this early on as well. I'm sure it'll make the whole experience much more enjoyable for you. Just be glad I'm writing this letter instead of your mother; you know how she gets on your case about chasing after women. _

_As for your recent brawls, I did teach you how to fight for a reason, after all. Just try not to solve everything with your fists, son. Your head can be a powerful weapon too, and no, I don't mean you should go around head-butting people. And while the occasional bet is fine and all, don't develop a gambling habit. The men in this family don't always have the best luck when it comes to allocating funds. That being said, thank you for the donation, Wes, it is very much appreciated._

_Can't wait to hear from you next! Stay safe, and be careful out there!_

_Pa and Ma_

_P.S. I sent over a few gifts for you as well. I'm pretty sure you know how to use them, but all the same, try not to brain someone on accident. Keep up the good work!_

Wes grinned eagerly as he tore into the box his father sent him, using one of his wrist blades to pry the wooden lid off. Inside were several lengths of rope with sharp metal knives on one end. "Rope darts! I guess Pa finally managed to make the ropes strong enough to use without them breaking!"

These were a primitive, if effective, design Wes' father had come up with years before, and the two had spent a good amount of time practicing with them on smaller monsters. They hadn't been very effective on the larger ones, unfortunately, so the crafty man had decided to find a way to make the rope strong enough to resist snapping when too much pressure was applied. "I ought to keep one handy…"

Placing the rest of the weapons in his item box, Wes took a seat at his desk, beginning to write a letter back.

_Dear Pa and Ma,_

_It's been a pretty eventful three days since arriving! I'm sure you both will be happy to know that I've been making waves over here with my progress. I've had two jobs so far: an expedition into some ruins in the southern islands, and a hunt in the Tower region. _

_The ruins were pretty interesting, but they were so broken down I had to make full use of my free running. Ever had to run through a tunnel to avoid getting crushed? It ain't easy, I'll tell you that. Inside, I found a few things of interest. There were a bunch of ancient weapon schematics on the floor of the innermost room, and there was a strange red stone in there as well. The Corps Head, Balestra, called it a 'magma ruby'. I'm not really sure what they are, but apparently they're important enough to double my income for bringing one back. And speaking of weapon schematics, I kept one aside that you might find some interest in, so I'm sending that back to you, pa. Maybe you can make them!_

_The Tower quest was much more of a challenge, though. Me, Viper, and two others had to go after a 'Lucent Nargacuga', a rare subspecies of the original monster. What made the fight difficult was the fact that the thing could turn invisible at a moment's notice, which, on top of its speed, made it a pretty challenging creature. Still, we brought it down, and Balestra made sure to reward us quite well for the hunt. _

_I do have a quick request from Viper, actually. After the quest, we found one of the Narga's tailspikes in the ground, still intact. Think you could make a wrist blade for him using it? Apparently he's a bit jealous of mine. I told him there'd be a fee and everything, so I'm going to send the spike over as well for you to work on. And don't worry, I'll teach him how to use it without slicing his hand open! But be careful with the thing; it's got a poisonous edge, and it's pretty damn sharp._

_Well, that about wraps it up over here. Let me know how my friends back at Moga are doing, and tell them I said hey! Until next time!_

_Wes_

The hunter sealed the letter and packed both the weapon schematic and the cloth wrapped Lucent Nargacuga tailspike into an envelope. _I'll send this to them tomorrow. _Satisfied with both the day's events and his letter home, Wes crashed on his bed and fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

**_Author Notes: _**_So, funny story about this chapter that dashboardgecko pointed out to me while editing. The same week I sent this to him to review, the most recent Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate trailer was released, in which a maneuver quite similar to the one Wes pulled off happened. I didn't actually see the trailer until a few days after this was brought to my attention, but the similarity between Capcom's ideas and mine seem very funny. Or maybe I just know things that all of you don't! ...Yes, the former is more likely. I've also found music to be a very helpful way to write a fight scene. One song in particular seemed to stick out in particular, enough so that I named the chapter after it: Joker and the Thief by Wolfmother. It seemed to fit Viper and Wes relatively well, and I expect this strategy to be employed in future hunts as well... Except, y'know, in more grandiose ways. Ah, and I almost forgot! I finally got a cover image to use, graciously hand drawn and colored by none other than yours truly! Let me know what you think of it; I'm a hobby artist, so feedback on whether my art sucks or not is always appreciated. Alright, hope you all enjoyed, and I'll see you next time!_

**_Playing: MH3U, Dead Rising 3, AC4_**

**_Listening to: Wolfmother, The Offspring, Papa Roach_**

**_Watching: Whatever happens to be on T.V./ Netflix_**

**_Reading: The Lost Civilization: DLC, the Xbox One operator's manual, the occasional TV Tropes page_**


	6. Cold Blooded

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated. Jeremy belongs to FatalisSlayer101._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 6- Cold Blooded

"So, Wes, what do you think would be a worse situation: falling off a cliff without a parachute, or getting stuck underneath a rockslide?"

"I'll admit either would be a nightmare, but probably the cliff one."

"Personally, I think that the worst situation you could be in is trapped below a boulder underwater. It'd be awful, drowning and being crushed at the same time!"

"I can beat that, easy. Can you imagine falling out of an airship and fighting a monster at the same time? That'd be the worst!"

"…Geez, Wes, you really outdid us there. When did you think of that?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Ah, come on! Something had to have made you think of-"

"Viper, give it a rest. No need to pry, right?"

"Yeah, sure, just like I don't need to pry into you and Frost having your quality 'alone time', eh?"

"Viper!"

"Wait, wait, I was joking! Ow!"

"You really should've seen that coming, y'know?"

"I kinda did, but I still think it was worth it…"

The white haired huntress shot a threatening glare at the golden-eyed archer from across the table she, Wes, Frost, and Viper were sitting at. Fortunately, Viper was able to tell when enough was enough and dropped that particular joke, instead focusing on the newly forming bruise on his shoulder.

The four had gone out to the tavern Wes had fought with Varon in, and the dual blade wielder was able to treat the others to a rather sizeable meal free of charge, since the tavern owner was still very appreciative of the hunter driving the thug off.

"So, what do you guys think our next assignments will be?" Snow asked after calming down a little. "I honestly wouldn't mind a break after yesterday, but I think an exploration mission would be okay with me. Those ruins we were at a couple days ago were really something!"

"I gotta say, it would be kinda interesting to go to another one, but I'd like to see what every kind of assignment is like first," Viper replied, brushing his black hair away from his left eye, though it quickly fell back into place. "Maybe an escort mission, or an elder dragon fight!"

"I heard from one of the guys on my floor that escort missions were kind of a pain in the ass," Wes commented. "He said the guy they had to protect kept on running off to collect things, and almost got killed about seven times because he wouldn't follow them. I think an elder dragon quest would be something, but let's hope we don't have to escort any idiots anytime soon."

"So, basically either an elder dragon quest or an exploration mission then?" the huntress asked. "I think either of those would be pretty fun! What about you, Frost?" The long sword user's only response was a light shrug, as if to say he really didn't care too much what they had to do.

"Y'know, I'd say he's like a ghost considering how little he talks, but that would also mean I couldn't see him, and he's tall enough for two people," the archer mumbled to Wes. The dual blade wielder chuckled in amusement, silently agreeing to the statement.

"What? Is something funny?"

"No, it's nothing, don't worry about it," Viper said with a short laugh. "So, what do you all think about his lordship up in the tower?"

"You mean Balestra?" Wes asked. "He kinda creeps me out, but I think the guy's alright. Maybe a bit too dedicated to the job, but still."

"I really haven't seen him since our second day here, so I'm not really sure what to think of him," Snow said with a quick shrug. "What about you, V?"

"I think he's a long-winded, boring, and ineffective leader," the archer replied. "Seriously, all he does is tell us about why failure isn't an option, and make thinly veiled threats to us about the consequences of a screw up! Not really a good way to inspire people, y'know?"

"While I do agree with you on that, I'd say we drop this conversation before that Corps officer gets here," Wes said quickly, motioning towards a man in a red uniform with a small Master Corps badge on his chest and hat.

The Corps Officer quickly approached their table, formally folding his hands behind himself as he came to a stop at the table's head. "Sir Balestra has requested the four of you to return to Headquarters. There are new assignments that you've all been listed on. If you'd please…" The man nodded towards the tavern exit, and the four hunters shared a collective sigh as they got up to follow.

"So much for a break…" Snow mumbled, clearly disappointed. "I really hope this doesn't turn into a 'job every day' thing…"

"It isn't that bad. I mean, sure, hunts are tiring and all, but I doubt we'll get worked to death here," Wes replied quietly. "It's only day five. Give it some time, and it'll make a break even better."

"I guess you're right. Now, about the whole 'fighting a monster while falling out of an airship' thing…"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

* * *

The four hunters stepped into the Corps Head's office, led by the officer they had found out was named Trance. The guy seemed friendly enough, and he actually wasn't much older than the others, but he had seemed to get a little tongue-tied the one time he talked directly to Snow. Wes and Viper had just laughed it off, but Frost became more on edge after the short exchange, partially placing himself between the two and giving Trance a bit of a scare. The man didn't talk to them much after that, considering it was only a short walk between the tavern and HQ.

"Excellent work bringing them here on such short notice, Mr. Trance." Balestra pushed himself up from his desk, closing a rather thick folder and placing his black uniform hat back on top of his head. The crimson-eyed man folded his hands behind himself as he walked towards the four hunters, who were lined up in anticipation of another speech. "I am certain you all wish to know what your assignments today will be."

"Nah, it's not like it's our job or anything," Viper replied sarcastically, gaining short chuckles from both Wes and Snow. Even Trance seemed to be holding a slight smirk back, though the Corps Head's own reaction was not one of humor.

"I do not appreciate your sarcasm, Mr. Viper, and if you insist on handling yourself so… unprofessionally in my presence, I can very well ensure that this no longer _is_ your job. Am I clear?"

"Eh… crystal, yeah…"

"Now then, I am inclined to inform you that all of you will not be on the same assignment. Mr. Viper, you will not be accompanying your acquaintances here on their job. Your teammates for today's mission are waiting for you on the ground floor."

"Wait, seriously?! Ah, that blows, why do I-?!" Viper protested loudly, but a piercing glare from the Corps Head quickly shut him up. "Fine, fine… Try not to get killed out there, guys," the archer mumbled, turning and heading towards the door.

"Watch your back, Joker," Wes replied, giving him a quick thumbs up. Viper grinned confidently and returned the gesture before moving out of sight.

"As for you three…" Wes turned back to face Balestra, who had taken his place in front of his desk. "Your assignment is of a rather… different matter this time."

"What do you mean?" Snow asked curiously. "Is it something we haven't done before?"

"No, but it is a rather delicate situation. Only a few hours ago, we received word that a Stygian Zinogre was sighted not far from Hearth, a hunting village on the edge of the Tundra. In that same report, we were informed that a traveler saw what seemed to be an ancient ruin in the side of an ice shelf."

"Let me guess: kill the Zinogre, search the ruin?" Wes asked assumingly.

"You are only partially correct, Mr. Wes. While the Stygian Zinogre is indeed a threat and it would be beneficial to slay it, it is not an objective of your assignment. All you must do is locate and search the ruins for any relics within. You must also keep the Zinogre from coming too close to Hearth."

"Well, why not just hunt it then?" Snow pointed out. "That'll solve the problem."

"The report stated it was a very dangerous specimen, much larger than an ordinary member of its species and far more powerful," Balestra replied. "While I have no doubt you would be able to slay it, I do not expect you to. In fact, it isn't even certain that you will encounter it. However, I do understand you may have to face it as well. As such, I've taken the precaution to authorize a fifth member to accompany you on this assignment."

"Fifth member? We don't even know who the fourth is," Wes commented. "Who's that going to be?"

"I have chosen Ms. Sapphire to accompany you. I sent her off some time ago to retrieve your fifth teammate, so she should be returning any moment now."

"Oh, hey guys!" The three hunters turned to face the door, where Sapphire and another man stood. The huntress wore a suit of Lagombi armor and had a blue-bladed short sword strapped to her waist, with a similarly colored round shield slung over her shoulder. Both the sword and shield seemed to be high quality versions of the standard hunter's knife and buckler. The hunter accompanying her was equipped with a full suit of Jhen Mohran mail, crafted from G level materials, and a bioluminescent azure long sword strung across his back.

"Great timing," Snow said, greeting the pair. "We were just talking about you! Nice to have you along, Saph. Who's number five there?"

"The name's Jeremy," the man replied. He seemed to be much older than any of the other hunters there, to the point where he looked almost the same age as Balestra. "I'm not sure if you all are ready or not, but we should get going ASAP. Grab the rest of your things, and let's get moving." The hunters assembled there followed after the older hunter to the lower floors, leaving Balestra and Trance as the only people left in the office.

"Now then, Mr. Trance, I have another request for you."

"Sir?"

"Mr. Joshua and I were meant to have a meeting two days ago, and he failed to arrive and explain himself. I would like you to go to the science department and compile a report on his findings, then return to me."

"Of course, right away."

"And one last piece of advice: do not agree to any tests he asks you to partake in. I don't need another officer getting a limb amputated. Am I clear?"

"Y-yes, crystal clear, Sir."

* * *

"…and after Amethyst put it to sleep, Emerald set off the bombs and killed it!" Sapphire finished. The blue-haired huntress had been relating her last hunt to the other four in the airship, which had been flying for only a few minutes by then. She seemed to be trying to get the entire group to talk, though Wes knew that her efforts would be wasted when it came to Frost. "It was pretty awesome."

"Wow, that's impressive!" Snow said, clearly meaning it. The two huntresses seemed to get along extremely well, both being rather talkative by nature. "And even after the blast, its horns were still undamaged enough to carve off and use?"

"Yup! I didn't really do that much, but I was glad I could do what I could."

"You're kidding, right?" Wes asked. "You said the bombs were your idea, same thing with putting it to sleep. If anything, you planned the whole strategy from the start!"

"There's no shame in fighting a support role," Jeremy pointed out. "I've been on hundreds of hunts that would've failed if it weren't for someone helping out from the background. Some hunters find it hard to even try and back up their teammates."

"Still, sometimes I want to try and do a bit more for the others on my team," Sapphire replied sheepishly. Wes noted that almost any praise she received resulted in a slight blush filling her cheeks. "I just want to make sure everyone makes it out alright at the end of the day, you know?"

"There's nothing wrong with that," Snow cheerfully stated. "It's good to know you care so much about others! I'm sure you'll do just fine on this quest, don't you worry."

"Thanks, Snow, I'm sure you're probably right."

"So, what's your story, Jeremy?" Wes asked the fifth hunter. "Balestra must think you're something if he had you join us."

"Well, I wasn't the only one considered to go along, but I was the only one available at the time. Something I'm not sure you all know is that there are some 'honorary members' of the Master Corps. If Balestra finds it necessary to have some added help for a job, he asks one of us to help out."

"Honorary members? Why not just join full time?" Snow asked.

"The Guild didn't want to entrust every single experienced hunter to the Corps, so as a compromise they allowed Balestra to request our help if the job is dangerous enough. I have a few young apprentices myself, after all, and if there aren't enough skilled hunters able to train the next generation, where would we end up?"

"Probably in a pretty bad place," Wes replied. "Guess it makes sense why my pa decided to run the Hunter's Academy in Moga. How long have you been hunting?"

"Since before you all were alive," the man laughed. "I'll tell you, it's been pretty amazing seeing all the changes that've gone on since I was your age. Most quests we used to take lasted almost a week on average because of travel length and such. Now, it takes barely a day."

"It must be kinda weird for you then, huh?" Sapphire commented.

"Like you wouldn't believe. But Wes, I'm curious, who is your father? You mentioned coming from Moga, and I've only seen armor of your make once before."

The dual blade user sighed at the mention of his father, but knew he shouldn't avoid the question. "His name's York. I'm guessing you know him?"

"You could say that. You don't seem particularly pleased about me bringing him up. Is something the matter?"

"No, it's not like I hate him or anything, I'm just starting to get a bit sick of him being brought up all the time," Wes answered.

"Why's that?" Sapphire asked curiously. "I mean, he's your dad, so shouldn't you be happy to hear more about him?"

"Not when all I hear is how great he was. Don't get me wrong, it was nice the first hundred times hearing it, but maybe I'd like to hear about how _I _do well. It's like I'm constantly living in his shadow; maybe I'd like to be the one in the limelight for once."

"Well, maybe this'll be your chance!" the blue-haired huntress encouraged. "I'll bet you'll become even better than he was!"

"Yeah, Wes, if you've got a goal, then you should work to achieve it!" Snow added. "I'm sure that we'll all get what we want if we try hard enough." Frost nodded towards the dual blade wielder in agreement.

"Well said, Snow," Jeremy said. "Wes, you shouldn't worry if people bring up your father's success. You should work hard enough so that it's you they talk about and praise."

"That's what I planned on doing, but thanks for the encouragement, guys. I appreciate it."

"_**Heads up down there, we're nearing the town of Hearth! Get ready for a quick landing!"**_

"Wait, we aren't getting dropped like normal?" the white-haired huntress asked.

"_**No, the weather's too poor for that. You'd get blown all over the place, and no one would find you again. Relax; you'll be on the ground soon enough." **_

Almost as soon as the pilot said this, the chamber seemed to lurch downwards, making everyone within feel weightless. Outside, the wind began to pick up more, filling the cabin with a droning noise.

"How can we relax when if we don't hold onto our seats we'll get thrown into the ceiling?!" Wes shouted over the wind. The others present followed suit and gripped their chairs tightly the whole way down. Before they landed, the ship slowed immensely, pressing everyone down as gravity suddenly intensified. After a brief impact shock, the hunters disembarked on shaky legs into the cold snowy area.

"I think I liked falling more…" Sapphire commented dizzily, and the others agreed in silence, their collective discomfort being enough to concur.

Wes shook his head a couple times to reorient himself before looking around the area. As far as the eye could see, snow fell in an endless flurry on the flat landscape. To the north, several mountains loomed around the Tundra hunting grounds, while the edge of the sea lay to their south. To the east was a small town, which Wes assumed was Hearth, and off to the west, nothing but snowy landscape could be seen. The dual blade wielder quickly chugged down a hot drink to fight off the cold before turning to the others.

"So, where do we go from here?" he asked. "Just head out towards the hunting grounds?"

"No, someone from the village was supposed to meet us and give us a location," Jeremy answered. "Let's head over and see what we can find."

"Uh, should we… just leave the ship here?" Snow asked uneasily. "How about Frost and I stay back and make sure the Zinogre doesn't show up?"

"If you want, then sure. We'll head back here to pick you up once we find out where we're going," Sapphire replied.

Wes, Jeremy, and Sapphire headed off towards the village, and made surprisingly quick time; the snow didn't seem to stick to the ground very well, leaving only a thin layer of the cold crystals on the ground. As they neared the town, someone ran out to meet them.

"Are you the hunters they sent?" the man asked quickly. "The town guard is on high alert. We haven't seen the Stygian Zinogre since the first time, but last we saw it was heading towards the hunting grounds."

"What about the ruins?" Wes asked. "Where are those at?"

"Same place as the Zinogre, I'm afraid. Here, the man who saw it marked the area on this map here. Keep an eye out for the Zinogre, though; the storm is getting pretty bad out there."

"Don't you worry about it! We'll take care of the problem as soon as we can!" Sapphire said confidently.

"It'd be a huge relief to the town," the man replied. "We haven't always had good luck out here, that's for sure…"

* * *

Trance sighed to himself as he took the elevator down to the basement floor of the Headquarters building. "Wonder why this Joshua guy didn't show up… Well, it shouldn't be too difficult to get a quick report together for Sir Balestra."

The elevator came to a slow stop, and the door opened to reveal a large white chamber. Several tables were lined up throughout the room, where numerous researchers worked on all manner of things, from mixing chemicals together to compiling research files. In a glass chamber off to the right, a few people were testing out some peculiar looking weapons: swords with rotating blades.

The officer took a moment to compose himself and stepped off the lift, making his way towards the back of the chamber. He had to sidestep around some of the researchers to avoid walking into them, and several others seemed to completely ignore him as they ran about the tables, shouting about some scientific achievement or another. A small blast off to the right prompted Trance to duck; hardly a second later, a scientist flew right over him and onto another table, his gloved hands smoking from the chemical blast.

Trance quickly made his way through the rest of the room until he finally came to a larger table in the back, behind which sat a man with spiky red hair, green eyes, and a squared jaw. He seemed to be hard at work writing data onto a notepad, writing lines faster than the officer had ever seen.

"Excuse me?" The man seemed to not hear him, continuing his work with a very focused expression. Trance sighed to himself and spoke up. "EXCUSE ME?"

The fiery-headed man blinked a few times as he looked up, as if he hadn't even noticed the officer's presence. "Yes? What do you need?"

"Are you Mr. Joshua?"

"Yes, Head of the Guild Science, Research, and Development Division. And you are?"

"My name is Trance. Sir Balestra sent me to get a report on your recent findings. You failed to meet with him the other day."

"Did I…? Oh, yes, I recall someone saying we had a meeting… Do send him my apologies. I've been quite consumed with my work as of late."

"I'll be certain to. Now, has there been any progress on the magma ruby research?"

"Unfortunately, we haven't been able to determine what they are made from. Any minerals we've compared them to haven't matched the composition. Whatever they are made from, it certainly isn't anything we've seen before. As for how old they are… we've determined that they are anywhere between 3,000 and 5,000 years old. Some samples of the ruins they were recovered from reveal the construction to be from only about 2,000 years ago, so the gems are far older than their resting places."

"I see… Can you please talk a little slower? It isn't easy writing this all down…"

"Ah, my apologies... Have you caught up yet?"

"Yes, do continue."

"Anyways, the gems are much older than the peoples who laid them in the ruins. Something else that we discovered is that they seem to have some kind of connection to the Tanzia Lighthouse. The structure is ancient, having taken almost two millennia to complete, and as such there is a very close approximation between its completion and the other ruins'. A team of researchers I dispatched to the area reported that the glow within the gems seemed to intensify as they neared the tower, a phenomenon we are still investigating now."

"Lighthouse… Other ruins… Strange glow… Still investigating…" Trance struggled to jot down everything Joshua said, the scientist's rate of speech having not slowed down one bit. "…Okay, is that everything you've found out?"

"In regards to the rubies, yes. However, we've also uncovered some strange activities out in the west, past the desert."

"The hazard zone? What do you mean?"

"If you recall, that area was labeled as off limits after the Dragonator Incident. The blast completely destroyed the entire sandship fleet, irradiated the area in a five mile radius, and killed everything within, be it man, monster, or other."

"Guess that showed how effective a slime powered Dragonator would be…"

"Well, it was a mixture of both slime and dragon element that caused the blast and the toxicity within the area. As I was saying, the area was labeled as uninhabitable, and no further research on the area has been conducted as of late."

"So what's the issue then?" Trance asked, growing a little impatient with the long winded explanation.

"The issue, my friend, is that an unknown creature was spotted in the desert hunting region some time ago. It was spotted by a group of hunters on a Barroth hunt, apparently. Only two came back from the encounter alive, one of them missing an arm and a leg. Neither could identify the creature in any illustration they were shown, though they believed it to be of the brute wyvern family."

"Almost the entire team was wiped out…? Does the Guild know of this?"

"As of yet, they haven't decided what to do about the region or the monster, though there have been debates whether to close the grounds or to capture the beast for research."

"I see… I'll report this to Sir Balestra then…"

"If you deem it necessary, then feel free to. Now, I really must return to my work. Any second not spent working on this formula adds up to a minute a hunter may need to save their life. Though if you wish to assist me with something-"

"No, no, I really must get going," Trance said quickly, backing away nervously.

"A shame. If you ever find the time, I could use another pair of hands with some tests." The man quickly moved back to his notepad, scribbling down complex formulas and equations in the blink of an eye.

Having gathered all the info he could, Trance turned back to the elevator and left the science department, feeling more confused than ever.

* * *

"We almost there? We've been walking for a half hour now!" Wes said, growing irritated at the lack of action the hunters had come across. During the entirety of their trek across the frozen Tundra, a storm had brewed above, causing an even greater flurry of snow to begin falling, obscuring their vision and making the going harder –and colder- than any present would have liked. At least, Wes assumed as much; Frost still seemed to either be unaffected or not care about the adverse weather. The five were currently making their way across a large field that was mostly devoid of any notable features aside from the large mountains visible around them.

"Just a bit farther, don't worry. According to the map, the ruins should be down this ice valley here," Snow stated, pointing towards a large V-shaped canyon, formed from a large mountain eroding down the center. The group made their way to the large opening, coming to a stop just outside of the entrance.

"Can you see anything over there?" Sapphire asked, gazing down the path before them. "All I can see is white and… maybe some light blue…"

"Only one way to find out…" Wes said, taking the lead of the group and heading into the crevasse. The others followed suit, relieved that the high walls of the canyon blocked the harsh winds and slowed the snowfall to a mere few flakes. "Well, this is a lot nicer than being out in the freezing cold, huh?"

"Keep your eyes peeled," Jeremy warned. "We were lucky enough to get out of that mess, but we don't know if anything else is using this place to take cover from the storm either."

The group continued onwards down the path, scanning their surroundings for any signs of monsters. The high cliff walls had several jagged outcroppings several dozen meters above them that could act as platforms for creatures to use, but nothing could be seen atop them.

Eventually, the group made it to the end of the crevasse, coming to a stop before a large, frozen over, temple-like structure. A massive staircase led up to the main building, covered in a thin layer of ice. "I guess we found our place, huh?" Wes noted.

"I wouldn't bet against that," Snow commented. "So, should we all just head inside then?"

"Unless something happens that requires us to split up, we should stay together," Jeremy replied, starting towards the steps. A loud, wolf-like howl suddenly roared throughout the valley and stopped the man in his tracks. Immediately, the hunters placed a hand on their weapons and backed into a circle formation, facing outwards in all directions.

"You just had to say it," the dual blade user mumbled, his mismatched eyes darting about the area, scanning for the source of the roar. A slight buzzing sound suddenly filled the area, like a large amount of electricity charging up. Wes glanced up as the canyon suddenly grew darker, seeing the sky above had been blotted out by unnatural dark clouds. A few flashes of what seemed to be reddish-black lightning sparked in them, with each spark growing quicker and more frequent with every passing second. It only took a moment for Wes to realize what was about to happen. "Get out of the way!"

The others quickly glanced skywards before throwing themselves out of the way of the large bolt of dragon-lightning from above. The blast caused by the shockwave knocked every hunter away with a burst of wind and frozen shrapnel. Wes rolled back and slid to a stop, jamming his wrist blades into the cold earth to do so. Sapphire slid to a stop a few feet to his right, while Frost and Snow ended up opposite them, farther back the way they came. Jeremy recovered off to the side, his armor having absorbed the impact from being slammed into the icy wall.

Before any of them could act, a large monster with a red, black, and grey hide crashed into the ground between them, cracking the earth with its weight. The lupine monster stretched its long body, its powerful forelimb claws digging into the earth and melting the ice with the black lightning sparking around its body. Wes drew his dual swords as the Stygian Zinogre craned its neck upwards and let out a powerful roar. The entire canyon seemed to shake from the sheer strength of the Hell Wolf Wyvern's powerful lungs.

"This thing is way stronger than a normal one!" Snow called out, drawing her sword and holding her shield in front of her defensively. Frost quickly drew his long sword and leveled the Ivory Lagiacrus blade at the creature before them, keeping a solid stance that showed absolutely no fear. Jeremy likewise pulled his sword off his back, keeping position on the draconic wyvern's flank. Sapphire slowly got to her feet and shook her head as if to refocus herself, keeping her shield up as she did so.

The monster glanced around at the hunters surrounding it, letting out a slow rumbling growl that Wes thought sounded suspiciously like chuckling. Smaller bolts of the dark lightning started to rain down around the creature, kicking up bits of ice and rock with each one and causing the entire area to rumble.

"I know this Zinogre," Sapphire commented. "This is the same one we fought at the Volcano! How did it get to the Tundra so fast?"

"I don't know, but didn't you say you drove it away last time?" Wes asked.

"We didn't drive it off, it just… left. Like it was getting bored."

"Well, it doesn't exactly seem bored now!" More lightning began to rain down as the monster started charging itself up with the dragon element, blasting the ground dangerously close to the hunters and keeping them from getting near the beast. "Get ready!"

"Wes, Sapphire, leave this to us! Get inside the ruins!" Jeremy called out over the blasts of dragon element. "This isn't a safe place to be right now!"

"What?! I'm not going to pass a chance like this up! I'm fighting this thing!" the dual blade user replied, taking a step forward and raising his swords offensively.

"Wes, he's right! Look above us!" Sapphire pointed upwards to the top of the canyon, where several of the bolts were impacting the rock wall above, cracking the stone surface repeatedly. A particularly large bolt struck one of the jagged outcroppings above them, breaking it off the wall and sending it plummeting towards Wes and Sapphire. The hunters leapt back to evade the falling rocks, landing on the base of the stairs to the temple. More and more boulders began falling from above, forcing the hunters to keep moving to avoid being crushed.

"Sapphire, Wes, you need to get inside before the entrance gets blocked off!" Snow shouted to the pair. "We can't get there in time, and we can't afford to get stuck outside! Leave this to us for now!"

"But-!"

"Wes, she's right! Come on, we need to go!" Sapphire urged, sheathing her sword and pulling him by the arm towards the steps leading to the ruins.

A falling boulder cracked against the stairs, breaking a section of them off. Wes looked back to the large monster and up at the ruins again, conflicted with the choice of fight or flight. With a frustrated sigh, he sheathed his sword and ran up the steps to the temple, followed closely by Sapphire. Several more rocks began raining down from above, some landing on the stairs and forcing the hunters to leap over them and evade them. The two narrowly made it to the top before a large rock slammed into the top of the stairs, breaking them completely and ensuring they couldn't be followed after. Before entering the ruins, Wes turned towards the other hunters, who were making their way out of the canyon as fast as they could, pursued by the Stygian Zinogre.

"You guys better leave some of it for us!" he called to the others before heading into the ruins with the Lagombi armored huntress.

* * *

"Come on, we're almost there!" Snow urged, racing towards the exit of the canyon. Frost ran just behind her, with Jeremy bringing up the rear. "Look out, above us!" A medium sized boulder plummeted towards the group, which Frost stopped by blasting his sword out of its sheath and slicing the boulder in half. He grunted in pain as the shock from the maneuver reverberated throughout his arm, but he quickly sheathed his sword and followed after the others, racing to escape both the pursuing Fanged Beast and the rest of the falling boulders. He leapt out of the valley just before the last of the boulders crashed behind him, rolling to a stop by the other two hunters.

The three didn't have any time to catch their breath, though. Before any of them could react, the Stygian Zinogre burst through the rubble covering the entrance to the valley, leaping over their heads and sliding to a stop, turning to face them as it bared its sharp fangs.

"Guess there's no getting out of this one," Jeremy said, leveling his sword at the Hell Wolf Wyvern. Frost and Snow both readied their weapons as well in anticipation of a rough fight.

* * *

"I can't believe my luck! That was the perfect opportunity, and I had to run from it!"

"Wes, it's okay, really. I'm sure they can handle it; it's better that we finish the real objective while they deal with the Zinogre. It's not like we have to hunt everything, after all," the huntress said. "Besides, look around this place! I'm sure there has to be something in here!"

"Now that you mention it, this looks a lot like the other ruin I was in," Wes replied, noting how similar the architecture of this structure was to the previous. The layout was different though; instead of three paths, there was only a single tunnel for them to follow. The chamber was sizable as well, enough to make their voices and footsteps echo.

"This isn't one of those trap filled temples, is it?" Sapphire asked, checking the floor for any loose panels or wires. "I feel like it would make a lot of sense for this place to be filled with booby traps, y'know?"

"Why's that?"

"I dunno, I just think it'd be more adventurous!"

A faint sound from the tunnel ahead of them drew the pair's attention. Wes instinctively drew the blades from his back, recognizing the noise as a monster's roar. Sapphire followed suit, drawing her sword from her belt and standing next to him.

"I don't think there are any traps, but I think we might have a pack of Baggis for company," Wes commented, flipping his swords in his hands anxiously. Several of the small blue carnivores raced towards the hunters from the tunnel, barking and yipping excitedly as they sighted the pair. Wes didn't give them much of a chance to alert each other, though, quickly dashing towards the Baggis with both swords at the ready. "Might not be a Stygian Zinogre, but it'll have to do!"

The first Baggi he came to attempted to bite the dual blade user, but Wes easily sidestepped the monster's jaws and dealt two quick swipes to its neck before stabbing it through the head, punching its carcass to the ground for good measure. Wes turned swiftly, swinging both swords into a Baggi's torso and kicking it away.

"Come on, I'm just getting started!" he taunted, actually gaining the pack's collective attention. Sapphire was busy fighting off a few stragglers near the entrance, leaving the majority of the creatures to the dual blade wielder. Wes quickly went to work, swinging first one, then both swords into one of the small carnivore's neck and turning quickly, striking another across the face with the curved knuckle-guard of his sword. He dispatched the Baggi by driving both swords into its chest after dealing a quick swipe to its torso, rolling aside to avoid some tranquilizing fluid another shot at him from its gaping maw.

As he righted himself, Wes kicked the side of the carnivore's leg, snapping the thin bones within, and grabbed the monster around its neck, running the length of his blade across its throat. Two more of the creatures attacked him from either side, attempting to bite at the hunter's shoulders, but Wes easily knocked both aside with the flats of his blades, twirling around and stabbing each through the base of their skulls, killing both instantly. A final Baggi leapt towards Wes, which he quickly kicked to the ground, stabbed through the abdomen, finishing it off by crushing its head below his boot. The whole while, Wes was getting more and more into it, grinning wildly as each kill flowed to the next.

"This is what I'm talking about!" The remaining Baggis seemed to start slinking away from the hunter, growing fearful of him as they saw how many of their pack had fallen to his death-dealing attacks. A louder roar sounded from within the tunnel, and Wes glanced over quickly to see a large Great Baggi come stomping into the chamber, flanked by another pair of smaller Baggis. Wes grinned in anticipation, swiping the blood off of his blades and readying himself to fight the pack leader.

"Wes, you okay?" Sapphire asked, joining him with her sword drawn. "Looks like we've got the boss here too!"

"Yeah, but this is nothing!" he replied energetically, adrenaline pumping through his body. "Watch this!"

Wes charged at the pack leader, slicing the throat of another Baggi as he went, and leapt past the large creature's snapping jaws, dealing a quick slash to the side of its neck with his right sword. The Great Baggi's hide was much thicker than the smaller members of its pack, though, mitigating the damage the swing did. Wes quickly ducked below the Bird Wyvern's tail as it whipped past, slashing it twice across the thigh with an elaborate spin maneuver. He quickly leapt back again to avoid a second tail swipe, taking a quick second to exhale before charging at the roaring pack leader again.

As he neared, though, he noticed something: the Great Baggi had suddenly become _much _faster, snapping its jaws down towards him almost three times faster than it had last time. Wes barely avoided the monster's sharp teeth with a sideways roll, recovering quickly, but grunted in surprise as he saw the Great Baggi's tail whipped towards him. The blue appendage slammed into the hunter's chest and knocked him back across the chamber, the force from the impact actually sending him into a wall almost fifteen feet back and dropping him to one knee.

"Friggin' tails…" he muttered, shaking his head clear as he stood up. "Alright, you got me that time, but here comes round two!"

Wes again ran towards the monster, which had turned its attention to Sapphire, closing the gap between them as quickly as he could. The huntress had actually done an impressive job holding the beast back, deflecting its jaws with her shield and dealing a large diagonal cut across the side of its face with her blue short sword. The Great Baggi ran towards her after she leapt back to avoid another bite, but she evaded a third with a dexterous backflip, landing lightly on the cold stone floor and swiftly driving her sword into its side with a spin slash. The damage dealt by the attacks wasn't nearly enough to wear the beast down, however, and the blue-haired huntress quickly had to raise her buckler to block a powerful tail swing, sliding back from the force of the impact.

"Oww… This thing is tough!" Sapphire commented, shaking her shield arm to get the feeling back into it. "Wes, that tail is going to be our biggest problem!"

"Don't worry, I've already got an idea!" he replied, sliding beneath the pack leader and slashing its abdomen once. He righted himself and sheathed one of his swords, flipping open the pouch on his belt and pulling a rope dart out. He leapt the side to avoid a glob of tranquilizing fluid the Great Baggi spat at him, twirling the sharpened end of the dart around to build up some momentum. "Just need it to turn sideways…"

Before he could think of a way to flank the beast, he saw a bluish blur slam into the side of the Baggi's head from across the room. Sapphire had hurled her shield straight into the side of the Flying Wyvern's head, filling the chamber with the ring of metal impacting bone. The beast yelped in surprise and turned to face the huntress, giving Wes the opportunity he had been hoping for; the monster's side was facing him now. He rushed the Great Baggi, which was still dazed from Sapphire's buckler, sliding beneath the creature again and throwing the dart around its midsection. The rope coiled around once before the bladed tip drove itself into the pack leader's side, anchoring itself firmly to the beast. Holding the opposite end of the rope, Wes used his momentum and the pull from the rope to fling himself upwards, flipping onto the Great Baggi's back, driving his sword into the monster's neck.

The Great Baggi roared in surprise and started flailing in an attempt to fling the hunter off of its back, but the rope tied around its middle restricted its movement somewhat. The blade lodged into its neck further lessened its ability to twist and turn, so Wes opted to release the sword handle and drew one of his wrist blades instead, driving the sharp blade into the base of the Great Baggi's neck repeatedly, causing it to howl even more in pain. After a few moments, the monster's struggle lessened and it fell forwards, collapsing from the many injuries the hunters had inflicted. Wes pulled his sword free from its neck and approached the dying monster's head, still feeling the high of combat.

"Good night, sleepy head." The hunter drove the blade straight through the top of the pack leader's head, finally ending its life. He pulled the sword free after planting his foot on the carcass's head, the sharp tip of the blade having gotten stuck in the ground below. He slashed the sword once to fling the blood off before sheathing the sword on his back with a quick flip of the blade.

"Nice job, Wes!" Sapphire said, jogging over to him excitedly. "You were amazing! I haven't seen anyone pull off a stunt like that before! Do you do things like that all the time?"

"As often as I can, yeah," the dual blade user replied with a laugh. "If you're gonna hunt, why not do it in style?"

"Well, color me impressed!"

The pair carved a few materials from the pack leader's carcass, and Wes made sure to pull his rope dart free from the body, before they began to head down the tunnel it had appeared from. It was a relatively long cavern, but thankfully only a small amount of light was necessary to show the way, so they could see perfectly fine. Before they had been in the tunnel long, though, an intense rumbling started to shake the entire ruin.

"What the hell was that…? It seemed like it was coming from…"

"…Outside!" Wes and Sapphire glanced at each other quickly and nodded, knowing that they had to be quick, and started running down the tunnel into the unknown.

* * *

"…and that's everything I could find out, Sir," Trance finished. He had spent the better part of a half hour making sense of the random notes he was forced to scribble down to keep up with Joshua's fast talking, and only just finished relating the scientist's findings to the Corps Head. "Though I suggest we invest in some organizational training for the researchers. That place was a mad house."

"I see… I will look into it. Tell me again about this… connection the rubies have to Port Tanzia," Balestra said, folding his hands before his face and resting his elbows on his desk with an intrigued expression. Trance was almost shocked at the sight; this was the largest change in the man's face he had seen yet.

"Well, it isn't the port itself, but the lighthouse. Apparently the construction of the monument ended around the same time as the creation of the ruins the rubies are located in. According to what Mr. Joshua said, they seem to glow a bit brighter when they are nearby the structure, but he's still looking into the phenomenon."

"Very interesting indeed… Mr. Trance, is it not peculiar to see the link between things that are seemingly unrelated? The lighthouse has been a part of Tanzia since before its founding, yet the construction of the tower is still of the same era as the ruins. Not only that, but the ruins can be as much as hundreds of miles apart. Does that not raise the question of how such an ancient people could collaborate on a task so widespread?"

"I suppose it is strange…"

"This is exactly the reason why these ruins are being located. The secrets of the past are serving as the grounds for our improvements in the present." Balestra pushed himself up from his desk, placing his hat atop his head as he did. "Now then… I have a meeting with the Guildmaster and the city council. If there are any calls for me while I am away, do tell me when I return. Good day, Mr. Trance." The man immediately left his office, followed a moment after by the Corps officer.

"Sir, if I might ask one thing…"

"What is it?"

"What action do you plan on taking to deal with the unidentified monster?"

"I am going to see if the Guild will allow me to dispatch a team to capture it for research purposes. Whatever it is, there may be more of them, so we must arm ourselves with whatever knowledge we can. Now then, do you have any more questions? I do not wish to be late for this meeting."

"No, that's all, Sir."

* * *

Snow yelped as she raised her shield quickly, blocking a glowing dracophage bug the Stygian Zinogre had launched at her just in time. The impact sent her sliding back across the ice, but her white Barioth boots allowed her to keep her traction relatively well, and she recovered quickly. Frost raced past her and closed the gap between him and the Hell Wolf Wyvern, drawing his long sword and slashing its claw quickly, leaping to the side to avoid the monster's attempt to crush him below its paw. The force of the impact shook the earth and caused a shockwave of dragon element to burst out, knocking the masked hunter back across the frozen ground. Jeremy took advantage of the Zinogre focusing on the twins to attack its tail, bringing his bioluminescent sword down on the rigid plating guarding the appendage, but despite the glowing blade's impressive sharpness, it couldn't cut deeply into the plating. The beast retaliated almost immediately, swinging its tail into the man's chest and knocking him away.

"Frost, I'm going to set a pit trap! Keep me covered!" Snow called out, moving to the center of the area and pulling the small device out of her pouch.

Frost immediately put himself between her and the Stygian Zinogre, sheathing his sword and readying his hand at the quickdraw mechanism on the scabbard as it turned to face him. For a moment, the hunter and the monster stared each other down, as if waiting for the other to make a move. A slight clenching of the fanged beast's claws was the only tell Frost needed to know that the Zinogre intended to pounce towards him.

The Hell Wolf Wyvern pushed off with its powerful limbs, roaring as it leapt through the air at the hunter. The Barioth armor-clad man took a large hop backwards in response before activating the quickdraw, blasting the sword out of its scabbard with lightning speed. The electric blue long sword passed clean through a layer of the hard carapace guarding the Stygian Zinogre's arm, cracking the shell and actually knocking the beast aside with the force of the blow.

Frost immediately felt the negative effect of this maneuver, though, as an immense pain shot through his sword arm. The shock of the attack threw the blade from his grip as he reached the top of his swing, sending the blade spinning into the air above the field. The hunter grunted and grabbed his arm in pain, but recovered as quickly as he could, shaking the feeling back into his arm.

"It's all set! Jeremy, help me get it into the trap!" Frost glanced back and saw that his sister had indeed set the trap properly, and that the older hunter was moving to help the huntress lure the Zinogre into the net. He quickly turned back, seeing his blue long sword land tip first into the frozen earth some fifty feet away.

_I'm going to need that. _

The hunter immediately broke into a sprint towards his lost weapon as the beast leapt towards the other two hunters, viciously snarling as it brought its claw down towards Jeremy. The Jhen-clad hunter was able to sidestep the strike, but a bolt of dragon element lanced out and struck him in the chest, knocking him backwards with a pained grunt.

"Gah… Jhen materials are weak to dragon element…" he groaned, getting to his feet as several reddish-black sparks danced around his mail. He couldn't spend much time to recover, though, as the Hell Wolf Wyvern lunged at him again, trying to clamp its sharp fangs on the man's shoulder. He instinctively leapt back to avoid the monster, though the dragon element coursing through his armor slowed him down somewhat and he was struck by the monster's horns as it finished its lunge.

Snow quickly came to his aid, slamming her shield into the side of the Zinogre's jaw and slashing it across the torso with her Barioth short sword. The beast growled as the ice element within flash froze the wound, but the attack seemed to not cause it much more grief than that. The huntress quickly slashed the monster's chest twice more before throwing herself out of the way of the beast's stamping claws.

As she recovered, the Zinogre twisted itself around and flung itself into the air, swinging its tail in a wide circle around its center. Snow blocked the strike with her shield awkwardly, yelping as she was knocked onto her back from the blow. The Hell Wolf Wyvern landed just above her, opening its large maw and lunging towards the huntress, intending to gore her with its sharp fangs. Snow could only raise her arms in defense as the beast's gaping maw neared her…

* * *

"So, when did you decide you wanted to become a hunter, Wes?" Sapphire asked as they continued on through the tunnel.

"That was a little random. Why the sudden interest?"

"I just wanted to lighten the mood a little is all."

"I guess since I was maybe six or seven," he replied, glancing around at the walls around them as he watched for any potential hazards. "It got to the point where I actually nabbed a pair of my ma's cooking knives and went out hunting without telling my parents."

"Really?" the huntress said with a short laugh. "And how did that go?"

"Well, I managed to take down three Jaggi, an Alpha Aptonoth, half a dozen Altaroth, and a Kelbi before my pa found me. He never really let me live that down, for a while at least."

"Heheh, that's actually kinda cute, actually! I decided that I wanted to be a hunter when I was about ten. I just saw a bunch of them walking through my village once and thought 'I wanna be as strong as them some day!' And, well, here I am!"

"Guess you got what you wanted, huh?"

"I guess you could say that, but that doesn't mean I want to stop now that I'm in the Corps," Sapphire replied. "See, the more goals I reach, the more that pop up for me to accomplish. I know I can't obtain all of them, but I still want to do everything I can to reach as many as possible! After all, that's what makes life fun!"

"That's a good way of looking at it, I suppose," Wes replied, chuckling a little at the huntress's enthusiasm. Another rumbling noise sounded throughout the tunnel, causing some dirt to fall from the ceiling above them. "…But I don't have a good feeling about that rumbling…"

"It's been really random… Do you think it might be the Stygian Zinogre and the others?"

"Maybe… Let's get through this ruin and get back to them ASAP." The two quickly made their way further through the frozen tunnel, which fortunately didn't branch off into any other paths, though it did wind through the mountain somewhat. As they went deeper into the cave, though, they came across a large chasm in the path that spanned several meters across, below which was a large, frozen underground lake. "Damn… I don't see any handholds we can use to get across this, and I know I can't jump this gap…"

"I can if you give me a hand!" Sapphire offered. "I can see if there's anything around there for you to cross over on afterwards!"

"You're kidding, right? That's at least five meters! Even with my help you couldn't make that!"

"Just trust me, Wes, I got this," she replied, taking several steps back and getting ready to run towards him.

"Alright, fine, but don't say I didn't warn you," he agreed after a moment and a sigh.

He took a somewhat wide stance and put his hands together to act as a small platform for the huntress. Sapphire sprinted towards him, seeing that he was prepared, and took a short hop onto his waiting hands. Wes put as much strength as he could into throwing her across the pit, helped by her pushing off with her foot as he did. The hunter stared in disbelief as he witnessed the Lagombi-clad woman cross the entire pit and roll to a stop on the other side, with more than a few feet to spare.

"See? Told ya I could do it!" she teased, sticking her tongue out at him from across the chasm.

"Alright, very funny," he replied, though the huntress' maneuver had thoroughly impressed him. "See if there's something on that side I could use to-" Before Wes could finish his sentence, the ground below him seemed to shift, cutting him off. He glanced down, then back, seeing the stone floor beginning to crack and break below him. Before he could act, the platform separated from the rest of the tunnel, and with a surprised grunt the hunter found himself dropping into the frozen lake below. The stone platform crashed into the icy surface of the water, shattering the thick ice from the weight of it. Wes leapt off the platform at the last second, landing on a large sheet of ice.

"Wes! Are you okay?!" Sapphire called down to him worriedly.

"Yeah, never better!" he replied, though not without a heavy dose of sarcasm. While he had managed to evade the freezing water, the sheet of ice had broken in numerous places, and didn't offer a very stable surface for him to walk on. Looking around, he could see that there was another shorter gap in the tunnel ahead of Sapphire, with several wooden posts jutting out from the stone construction. "Saph, move down the tunnel! I'll need a hand getting out of this!"

The huntress glanced back in the direction he pointed out and nodded quickly. "Okay, gimme one sec! I'll be there!"

The ice had begun cracking more beneath Wes' weight, forcing him to start moving to avoid falling through to the cold water below. Each step ran the risk of breaking through, but standing still wouldn't do him any good at all. The hunter leapt between two ice floes as he made his way towards his ticket out of the freezing lake, sliding to a stop as he landed on the slick sheet. Seeing that the wooden posts were only about ten feet above his head, the hunter quickly pulled a rope dart from his pouch and flung the metal tipped end upwards toward the wooden shafts. The rope spun around one of the posts twice before embedding itself into the wood.

Wes wasted no time in beginning to climb up the rope, being sure not to move too fast and snap the old wood post he was dangling from. As he neared the ledge, though, he could hear the wood straining more and more from his weight. A slight crack sounded from the post, and Wes made one last hard pull and flung himself upwards just as the wood gave way, catching the stone ledge with one hand. The post, with the attached rope dart, fell into the icy water below and sank out of sight. Despite how good his grip was, though, the hunter found his fingers slipping from the cold stones.

"Sapphire, I could use that hand right about now!"

"I've gotcha! Gimme your hand!" the huntress replied, extending a gloved hand for him to take. He swung his free arm up and took hold of Sapphire's wrist as she did the same, pulling him up with all her strength. Wes sighed in relief as he finally made it over the ledge and onto stable ground.

"Hot damn, that was a bit too close for comfort," he remarked. "Thanks for the help there, Saph."

"Don't mention it! Oh, and I saw something up ahead when I jumped the second gap. I think we might be close to the end of the ruin."

"Alright, let's hurry up and find whatever we need to find. The others could probably use some help."

The two walked the remaining length of the hall and into the final chamber, making sure to watch out for any loose ground below them. Upon entering, Wes could immediately tell that this chamber was near identical to the last ruin where he had found the magma ruby. A short staircase led up to an altar at the center of the room.

"Saph, take a look around for anything we could take with us. I'll check the altar."

"Will do," she replied, walking over to the other end of the chamber. Wes, meanwhile, took the short staircase up to the altar, expecting to find one of the glowing red orbs there. To his shock, though, there was nothing there.

"What the hell…? Where is it?" he muttered, checking around the altar and scanning the room from the higher viewpoint. "Saph, do you see a glowing red stone anywhere?"

"No, I haven't seen anything!" the huntress answered, clearly puzzled. "The only thing down here is this crack in the wall… I think it leads to a cave. Maybe we can use it to get out?"

"Maybe… Dammit, could someone have gotten in here already? There isn't a single thing in here!"

"Do you want to look around a little longer? There still might be something we could fi-" A loud rumble sounded throughout the ruin and cut off the rest of her sentence, actually shaking the entirety of the chamber. It lasted for a few seconds, after which the two uneasily glanced at each other.

"That sounded way worse than the other ones… We need to get out now. We can't go back the way we came from though…"

"Here, through this hole!" Sapphire called out, gesturing towards the small crack in the chamber. The short sword wielding huntress quickly ducked low and crawled out of sight. Wes followed suit, seeing that the tunnel they had entered from was beginning to flood from a large crack in the ceiling. He took one last glance around the chamber before crawling out of the hole as fast as he could, exiting into a dark cave. Wes and Sapphire both got to their feet quickly, trying to put more distance between themselves and the flooding ruin.

"I still can't believe that the place was empty…" Wes sighed, shaking his head in disappointment. "The objective was to find something, but there was nothing to find!"

"Let's worry about that later, Wes," Sapphire said, though he could tell she was just as disappointed as he was. "Hey, I think this cave leads to the field where the others are! See, that's the Zinogre!" she pointed out, gesturing towards the large exit to the cave. Sure enough, the other hunters were outside, still engaged with the beast.

"Well, I guess it's time to save the day, huh?" the dual sword user replied, grinning excitedly. He quickly made his way towards the field, followed closely by Sapphire.

* * *

For a moment, Snow didn't feel a thing, holding her shield up in a futile attempt to block the Hell Wolf Wyvern's nearing fangs. However, they never came. Though her shield blocked her view of the beast, she could still hear a pained grunt and a ferocious snarl from the Fanged Beast. The huntress quickly lowered her shield to see that Frost had quickly stepped between her and the Stygian Zinogre, catching both its jaw and the roof of its mouth with his bare hands and was holding it back with pure strength.

"Frost!" The long sword user grunted as the beast shook its head in an attempt to throw him away, but the masked hunter was able to stand his ground, keeping the monster's jaws from snapping down on him.

Despite the intense pain in his right arm, Frost was able to eventually push the creature back, actually causing it to stumble in surprise as he shoved it backwards and into the awaiting pitfall trap. Jeremy quickly took advantage of the Hell Wolf Wyvern's trapped state to slash it across the side, cutting into its greyish-white fur with a burst of lightning element. He dealt two more swift blows before the creature freed itself from the hole in the ground, snarling as it leapt away and landed on its powerful legs.

"Blast... That trap barely worked at all!" the hunter said disbelievingly. "Just how much stamina does this thing have?"

The beast craned its neck upwards and let out a loud howl that echoed for miles around, summoning up dark clouds above itself and dropping dragon element lightning down across the entire field. Frost quickly helped Snow to her feet, though the twins had to separate a moment later to avoid a bolt of dragon lightning. The huntress brought her shield up in time to absorb the shock while Frost leapt away, drawing his sword as he rolled to a stop. He glanced over to his sister, seeing her make an 'X' symbol with her fingers, and nodded in acceptance of her plan.

The two ran diagonally towards the Hell Wolf Wyvern, closing the distance quickly. The beast roared at them and attempted to crush both below one of its paws as they crossed paths, but the twins evaded the attack easily, flanking both of the Fanged Beast's sides. The creature seemed confused, glancing between its paw and the two similarly outfitted hunters. Both took the chance to deal several slashes to its sides, stopping only when the Zinogre leapt away from them with an agile backflip. Jeremy, who had been moving to attack its tail, yelped in surprise as the beast's lash slammed into the ground next to him.

"Dammit… Even one hit could spell death for us!" the older hunter said, hopping away from the Fanged Beast to regroup with the twins. "We might need to get away and regroup with the others if we're going to have a chance to take it down."

"But we don't even know where they are!" Snow replied quickly. "We can't get into the ruins with them now, and we don't know if they can get out on their own!"

"We don't have much of a choice now! It's wounded enough that if we leave it be, it'll probably go off to recover and leave the town alone. We need to find Wes and Sapphire and call the airship; they've had enough time to get through it by now."

"So where do we start looking? We don't have any clue where they might end up!"

"One thing at a time, Snow. Here, take the signal flare. Call the ship as soon as you ca- watch out!" The hunters all leapt in different directions to avoid the Hell Wolf Wyvern's attempt to crush them below its bulk. The beast immediately swung its tail and flung itself into the air again, wreathed in dragon element. Frost quickly grabbed Snow by the shoulder and pulled her out of the way of the attack while Jeremy rolled away, sliding to a stop on the ice. "Blast, I don't even know how we'll get away from this thing…"

As he recovered, though, a quick blur of movement rushed past him and charged straight at the Zinogre, brandishing a pair of dual swords. The figure dealt several slashes to the beast's side before leaping over its back, slashing it once more as he did so. "Hey, did you miss me?!" Wes shouted, rolling to a stop and brandishing his swords. The Fanged Beast turned its attention to the newly arrived hunter, snarling viciously at the hooded man before it.

"Wes! Sapphire!" Snow called out, relieved to see the arrival of the dual blade wielder and the other huntress. "Be careful, this thing is way more dangerous than a normal Stygian Zinogre!"

"Relax; it's me!" Wes replied confidently, again rushing the beast. Jeremy got to his feet and followed suit, while Sapphire regrouped with the others.

"Frost, Snow, are you both okay?" the blue-haired huntress asked quickly, huffing a little in exhaustion.

"We could be doing better, but it's good that you two showed up when you did," Snow answered. "How were the ruins? Find anything inside?"

"No… They were completely empty… We had to get out when they started to flood from an underground lake. That Zinogre was causing quakes underground!"

"That… really doesn't surprise me, actually… Let's call the ship and get it to come pick us up; we don't need to worry about this thing anymore."

"Are you sure? I mean, we don't have to, but shouldn't we try to finish it off?"

"Every second we spend fighting it is another second one of us could get killed! We've had enough close calls already. Make sure those two know the plan, alright?" Snow opened her pouch and pulled the signal flare out, pointing it skyward and launching the glowing projectile into the air. Sapphire quickly ran over to the other two hunters, who were still fighting with the Hell Wolf Wyvern. Wes evaded one of its paw stomps with a sideways cartwheel, dexterously slashing its arm at the same time. The hunter slid to a stop next to the blue haired short sword wielder.

"Oh, hey. Enjoying the show?" he asked, getting to his feet. "I think I can finish it off, but I'll need a while."

"Snow already called the ship; we're pulling out, Wes," the huntress replied quickly.

"What? Why?! We can take this thing!"

"Wes, they spent the whole time fighting with it and they still couldn't bring it down! We're falling back, okay? And unless you feel like staying out in the middle of the Tundra fighting this thing, you're coming with us!"

"…Bah, fine…" he reluctantly agreed. _Getting stranded isn't worth the fight._ "Jeremy and I will keep it busy while the ship lands. Holler when it's time to go."

The dual blade wielder quickly rushed back to assist the older hunter, and Sapphire looked back to see the airship fast approaching their location, though it seemed the pilot was extremely nervous about flying that close to the Zinogre. She quickly ran over to where the ship landed, accompanied by the twins. The pilot looked none too happy when they boarded the ship.

"What the hell were you thinking having me land right next to the damn thing?!"

"We need to get out of here, now!" Snow replied quickly. "Just get ready to take off!"

"Wes! Jeremy! Come on, we're going!" Sapphire called to the hunters from the deck of the airship. The two had just leapt back away from the Hell Wolf Wyvern, which was beginning to call down even more of the dragon element lightning around itself, with several bolts landing dangerously close to the ship and the pair of hunters fighting the Fanged Beast. The pilot panicked a little, seeing how close the bolt had come to the airship, and quickly went back to the cabin to prepare for take-off.

Wes and Jeremy, meanwhile, were beginning to make their way across the ice field, dodging the red flashes of dragon element that rained down from above. Wes, having lighter armor, easily moved ahead of the older hunter, sprinting towards the ship as it began to lift off.

"What the hell?! Hold up!" he shouted, nearing the ascending ship. He quickly leapt up and grabbed the edge of the deck as it lifted off higher from the ground. Jeremy had just caught up to Wes by then, and the hooded hunter extended a hand to help the older hunter up. The man jumped up as high as he could, his hand nearing Wes'…

But he fell just short.

The Jhen clad hunter's fingers barely grazed Wes', and he fell back down to the icy ground below as the ship took off higher, too far to reach for the older hunter. Wes could only watch in horror as the ship flew off, leaving the older hunter behind to face the creature alone. Another hand grabbed his own, and with a strong pull Wes found himself safely on the deck of the airship, courtesy of Frost. The man immediately clutched his right arm as if in pain, but seemed to shake it off quickly enough.

"What the hell?! We've gotta go back for him!" Wes protested, making his way below the deck of the ship where the others were waiting.

"_**No can do, kid. That thing's dragon lightning just started to pick up, and there is no way I'm flying nearby those bolts again. Dragon element could easily wreck our motors and send us crashing to the ground! Sorry, but in this case four lives is better than five."**_

"This isn't right though! We all should've made it out of this! We can't just leave him behind!"

"Wes… There's nothing more you can do," Snow said somewhat firmly. "It was his idea to call down the airship… He knew the risks. Maybe he'll make it out okay, but… you just have to let it go."

Wes wordlessly glared out the window, seeing a giant flash of dragon lightning fall to the earth in the field they had all been in just minutes before.

_…This just isn't right…_

* * *

Jeremy cursed under his breath, seeing the airship fly off into the sky without him. The loud stomping of the Zinogre behind him caused him to spin around quickly and draw his sword, glaring at the Fanged Beast as it slowly sauntered towards him, red lightning dropping from the sky around them. He tightened his grip on the glowing blade, knowing there was no way out of this fight now.

"Well, alright then. Show me what you've got."

* * *

**_Author Notes: _**_I won't lie, this chapter is probably the one I am most proud of yet. First off, I broke my previous record in word count! Hoorah for breaking the 12,000 mark! I'm rather pleased with how everything came together here too, especially the Stygian fight. I based it mostly on the Descent into Hades DLC quest, which is known as one of the most difficult in MH3U. As for outside sources... due to the lack of beind able to fnd a better name for the town in the Tundra, I borrowed the name 'Hearth' from dashboardgecko, though it isn't supposed the same town as it was in his story. Jeremy was also a welcome OC, considering I could actually help FatalisSlayer101's future story by including him here. That being said, later on down the line I'll have potential spots for three additional character submissions! If you're interested, PM me a name and a brief description of the character; if I don't get enough submissions, I'll have to make more characters to fill the spaces myself, and my name bank is running a little dry... Alright, as always, remember to leave a review of what you thought, and I'll see you next time!_

**_Playing: _**_MH3U, Dead Rising 3, Battlefield 4, Minecraft _

**_Listening to: _**_Papa Roach, Paramore, Avenged Sevenfold_

**_Watching:_**_ Whatever appeals to me at the moment_

**_Reading:_**_The Lost Civilization: DLC by dashboardgecko, various TV Tropes pages_


	7. Refresher

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 7- Refresher

"…I see… This is very unfortunate news. We will inform his pupils, and his equipment will be distributed among them."

"Sir, the team also reported that the ruins were devoid of any findings. Overall, the mission was a wasted effort. What should we report to the Guild?"

"If word of a failure such as this were to reach the higher parts of the Guild, we would be in a very… troubling position. If a report must be sent in, make a few altercations to the original. Say that the artifacts were damaged upon recovery, and that Mr. Jeremy stayed behind to ensure the remainder of the team's extraction. Understood?"

"S… Sir, is it okay to circumvent the rules like this?"

"Mr. Trance, as you are still new to the Corps' Information Processing Division, let me instruct you in one aspect of your work. Your job is to report our missions and findings to the Hunter's Guild in a manner that reflects our effectiveness in the field. What do you believe the hierarchy of the Guild would say if they discovered a team made up of some of the finest hunters in the Corps reported a complete mission failure, and that the runs were empty, and that only the Guild-assigned member was left behind to lose his life? They would assume it was a deliberate act to remove one of their assets in the Corps, and they would grow more suspicious of us. We do not need any 'incidents' this soon."

"I see your point, Sir, though I must speak my opinion when I say-"

"If and when I ask for your opinion, Mr. Trance, then you may gladly give it. However, as it is now, there is no need for it. Just do as I ask, or I will find a replacement for you. I will not tolerate a lack of diligence from any of my subordinates. Am I clear, _Mr. Trance?"_

"Y-yes, Sir… I'll get to it right away."

* * *

Wes sighed as he looked up at the ceiling above his bed, resting with his hands behind his head. It had been a full three days since the mission in the Tundra, and the only word that had returned from the area was that Jeremy had eventually fallen to the Stygian Zinogre, though not before injuring it enough to force it into hiding after the battle. The entire incident had left a little more than a sour taste in the hunter's mouth.

_I still can't believe he didn't make it… If the ship had slowed down just a little more, if he had just been a little faster… He was literally inches away from my hand! It just isn't fair… Sure, I might not want to hunt on a team all the time, but I never left a man to die before… Was it my fault somehow?_

A knock on the door gained his attention, and Wes pushed himself up to answer it.

"Hey, bud, you holding up alright?" Viper asked, turning towards the door from the center of the hall. "I heard what happened about that Jeremy guy. Don't take it too hard, alright?"

"Yeah, but still… I just think I should've been able to do more…"

"Wes, listen, Snow told me what all went down out there. Trust me, based on what she told me yesterday, you did more than enough."

"Doesn't mean that Jeremy isn't dead."

"And it doesn't mean it's anyone's fault. Shit happens. At least the rest of you all made it out mostly unharmed, right?"

"Well… I guess. What did Snow say about Frost's arm? She seemed really concerned when we got back."

"He used that quickdraw thing a bit too much, and he tore his bicep throwing the Zinogre back. Connor's been working on him for the past few days now, and he said not to worry too much. I mean, Connor said not to worry. Frost said… well, you know."

"I didn't really have anything to do with Frost and Snow's fight. Not like I could've stopped that chain of events."

"Exactly! There are things we can't stop, so why worry if there's nothing we could do? Come on, bud, just 'cause things screw up every now and then doesn't mean you have to get all angsty about it."

"You got a point there, Viper," Wes said with a short chuckle. Despite the archer lightening his mood, though, Wes still felt guilty about what had happened. _Maybe I just need to do something to get my mind off of it..._

"Listen, I need to go on a supply run. I didn't really bring much from Moga with me, so some potions and whetstones would be helpful. Want to come along?"

"Yeah, sure thing!" the archer replied with a smirk. "I need some coatings for my bow anyways. Hopefully his lordship won't call for us again, eh?"

"Hey, if you guys are making a supply run, do you mind if I come along?" Wes and Viper turned, hearing the door opposite Wes' close, where Sapphire stood wearing ordinary street clothing. "I could use a few things myself!"

"Oh, hey Saph. I don't mind if you want to come along," Wes replied, greeting the blue-haired huntress. "Viper?"

"As long as she doesn't try to screw with my pouch set-up like Emerald did yesterday, I'm cool with it."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that, Viper," Sapphire replied with a short laugh. "So, do you guys know a good place for supplies?"

"Yeah, I know a place," Viper answered. "Come on, let's go!"

* * *

"And… there you are. Try not to move your arm very much for a few days, and it will be just fine," Connor assured, finishing up on wrapping Frost's arm with fresh bandages.

When the long sword user had stepped off of the airship the day before, most of his arm was discolored and bleeding in several places, so Snow had insisted on rushing him to the medical ward. Connor had been on duty then, and had made sure to keep the long sword user overnight for treatment.

"Thank you for healing him, Doctor Connor," the huntress said with a grateful bow. "If there's a payment involved, we don't mind-"

"That will not be necessary. All Master Corps members are treated free of charge here," the doctor replied. "I will send in a report to Sir Balestra that you are not to partake in any assignments for the next week. You are not stuck in bed, however, so you may still go about your ordinary business. Now then, there are a few others here I must check up on. You are free to go when you choose."

Connor departed the room then, shutting the door as he went. Frost had already begun to push himself up, going to the table his armor had been laid out on.

"Frost, wait," Snow said, grabbing his good arm to stop him. "Are you sure you're ready to go this soon? Your arm is-"

"It's been worse." Frost's reply was short, though his voice was cool and smooth as ice. He turned to face his sister, looking down on her because of their immense height difference. "I'm fine, Snow."

The huntress reluctantly released her grip, and Frost immediately went to the table to begin suiting up again. Snow had made sure to at least get the suit cleaned first, so there were no remnants of the long sword wielder's injury left on the white longcoat.

"Well, what should we do now?" Snow asked as Frost strapped his greaves on. "I don't think anyone knows about us, so we should still be safe… But do you think there's anyone we can trust?"

"Not yet." Frost continued on to his arms, pulling the white Barioth plating over his sleeves and strapping them down, flinching a little in discomfort as a jolt of pain shot up from his right arm.

"So… wait and see?"

Frost lingered a moment over his helmet, the last piece of armor he had to put on. The moment of hesitation soon vanished, and he lifted the white plated helm and pulled it over his head, obscuring his face behind its fearsome visage.

"Wait and see."

* * *

"…now, this is a mission of a very sensitive variety. You are not to speak of this to any others after completion, am I clear?"

"Yes sir," a chorus of four voices replied.

"Then you are all dismissed. Good day to you all."

Balestra watched as the team of four hunters quickly departed for their job, leaving him alone in his office. The crimson-eyed man then returned to his desk, signing his name on the mission log to approve the job he had sent them on. His gaze shifted from the document to an open dossier to his left, which he placed before himself to continue reading. He didn't look up as he heard a rapping on his door, simply letting out a short sigh. "Enter."

The door opened quickly, and Ruby stepped through into his office, slamming it behind her. "So, you're sending another group off on a 'secret mission', hmm?" The red-haired huntress approached the Corps Head's desk directly, planting both of her hands on the edge of the wood table. "I'm guessing this is all quite fun for you, isn't it?"

"Ruby… Need you interrupt my work so abruptly?"

"Do I, _Sir?_"

"I can see there is something distressing you."

"Distress is a word for it."

"Must you remain so difficult?"

"I want a job. Not some run of the mill assignment, but an important one, with my team. I'm sick of being paired with all these know-nothings who can't work on a proper team."

"I recall giving you two rather important assignments in this past week alone, though your own performance in them was… lacking, considering your involvement in the first was minimal at best and you likewise ducked out in the second to treat Mr. Ishmael's injury, something he should've been perfectly able to do himself." The man closed the file and looked up at the huntress, folding his hands before his lower face and obscuring his mouth from the woman's view. "Why should I potentially create a team unfit for a specific assignment just to grant your wish?"

"I won't fail," she replied simply. "We won't fail. You give me what I want, and I'll give you results beyond anything you've seen yet."

"Words without actions are just that: words. Though you say you will provide results, factors within the assignment can easily ruin your predictions. If I send a non-optimal squad for an important assignment, only to be met with failure, it could severely impact the Master Corps' standing in Loc Lac. Do you wish to bring ruin to your teammates and the Corps just for your own desire?"

Ruby took a long time to respond, clearly thinking much more about her request. "…Alright, then here's a compromise for you. You look for an assignment that me and my team would be the best choice for, and you send us on it as soon as possible."

"And why should I accept your proposal, _Ms. Ruby_?"

"You owe me at least that much, _father."_

Balestra's eyes narrowed at the huntress' statement, and he pushed himself up into a more straight and professional position. "Despite what you believe, I will not provide you with any special privileges. You and those you work with are all on equal footing, and must work up to greater positions. Perhaps once I've seen more… positive results from you, then I will consider your request further."

"Equal footing? And does that include your 'golden boy', Wes? I heard about how you paraded him through the city to show him off to the Guild master. It seems you've been giving him all the praise lately! What about the other hunters, huh? What about me?"

"So, you feel that giving credit where it's due is unfair to yourself now?"

"When all the credit is given to one person, how can a group be unified and work together?"

"While I understand why you may feel frustrated, do try to see this from my angle. We are currently less than a week into our work, and young Mr. Wes has proven himself to be a very capable individual that can bolster almost any team's chance of success; a catalyst, if you will, despite his tendency to rush things and do all the work himself. I've seen this in both his file and the results he has returned with.

"Meanwhile, though you and the team I had brought together for you has certainly proven itself as a considerable force with undeniable talent, recently you and your teammates have been lacking in the assignments they've been sent on. Apart from Ms. Sapphire, you all have reported difficulties in trusting teammates and complications in dynamics with others. In short, you lack the flexibility to excel with others.

"There are many other hunters aside from just you and Mr. Wes as well. Many of them have proven themselves, while others have failed to live up to their reputations. For instance, a team of hunters who were largely unknown outside of their villages returned two days ago from a hunt, reporting they had slain an exceedingly large Rust Duramboros that was menacing the desert town of Brownstone. That was the second team I had to send in, considering the first I assigned made up of local 'heroes' returned with several broken bones, a missing limb, and complete failure.

"In the end, what matters is that a team delivers results. Mr. Wes' assignments have not all been successes, just as how yours have not been failures. Do not blind yourself with the illusion that I am solely giving assignments based on favoritism."

Ruby was silent for a good long while, slowly mulling over the man's words in her head. "…Okay, fine. You're right. But that doesn't mean I don't want the chance to prove that my team can complete any assignment you give us."

"…Very well then. I see you are still very tenacious about this topic… I will grant your request once the opportunity arises, but do not think I will be so lenient in the future, Ruby."

"I won't disappoint you." The red-haired huntress bowed slightly, looking at her father with her own crimson eyes. Satisfied with what she had been able to compromise, Ruby turned and began to make her way back to the door.

"Ruby." The huntress turned quickly, seeing that the Corps Head had risen from his desk and set his hat down atop a stack of papers. "I trust you won't."

"…Thank you, Sir."

* * *

"Come on, the store's just around this corner here!" Viper said, leading the other two hunters down a somewhat empty street.

They were well within the older part of Loc Lac, where most of the buildings were built in the more traditional style that had been replaced some twenty years prior. Most of the walled city had modernized rather quickly, using more streamlined building designs and smoother stones for the ground. Here, though, the buildings were more rugged, and the roads were made from bumpy cobblestone.

"Viper, what kind of shop around here could have the stuff we're looking for?" Wes asked, looking around at the old city. "I feel like I'm two decades younger here, and that would mean I shouldn't be alive!"

"Just trust me, bud. I found this place a couple days ago. They have everything we'll need, old and new." Viper seemed sure of himself, so Wes decided to let the golden-eyed archer keep leading him and Sapphire towards the store.

"I kinda like the architecture around here," the blue-haired huntress remarked. "I've never really been to the old city before today, but I like how adventurous it all seems! Just imagine being one of the older hunters in these parts, wearing a classic armor set and using a traditional weapon! This is where hunting was born!"

"Was that a compliment about the architecture, or a history lesson?" Viper joked, laughing as the trio rounded a corner onto a side street. "Personally, looking at these old buildings reminds me of the cliffs I used to climb back in the Flooded Forest," he said, tapping the rugged wall to his right. "My village is still pretty traditional, but they eventually got with the times. Didn't get half the luxuries we have here back there, I'll tell ya that much."

"Sounds like a _very _fun place," Wes said with a wry smirk. "To be honest, I'm more intrigued by the way weapons and equipment developed from back then to the way they are now. Like, how instead of carrying twenty whetstones that can only be used once, now you can carry one that you use twenty times. It seems simple, but why didn't they think of it sooner?"

"In any case, it's pretty cool how things are now. But look! We're here!"

Viper pointed to an old shop before them. It was a relatively large, single story building with a crooked sign hanging above the door, but the lettering was so faded Wes could hardly tell what it said. From what they could see outside, the store had all manner of hunting equipment arranged on tables or assorted in barrels and crates.

"Geez, this looks really… outdated…" Wes remarked, glancing up at the sign. "You sure they'll have stuff we can use?"

"I'm positive! Come on, let's go in!" The archer stepped inside, leaving Wes and Sapphire on the street. The pair glanced at each other and shrugged before following after the golden-eyed hunter.

"Vehlcahm to my stohre," a large man with a thick accent said, seeing the three enter. He stood up from behind the counter he was seated at, leaving Wes dumbstruck as the man's head grazed the ceiling. He must've been almost seven feet tall, and the man's imposing, muscular figure only added to his immense presence. He seemed relatively old, but his frame alone easily made clear that anyone who got caught trying to steal from him would be in for a world of hurt. One of his eyebrows lifted as he brought his gaze to Viper.

"Ah, I see you hahve brought youhr friehnds lihke you said!"

"Yeah, they weren't really convinced when I said this place had everything we could get though. Mind proving them wrong, Jorge?"

"Vahl, I vould, baht I cahn't fit into ehvery noohk ahnd crahnny here, soh I geht my ahpprentice to halp insteahd. Adriahn!"

"I'll be right there!" A voice called out from the back of the store. It seemed familiar to Wes, though he couldn't recall where he had heard it before. "I'm still trying to open up this order of tranquilizers, and I don't want to knock myself out!"

"Fohrgive heem, I ohnly hired the mahn ah few dahys agho," the shopkeeper, Jorge, said. "Feehl free to loohk arouhnd aht my vares vhile you vait."

Glancing around the old shop, Wes could see that there was both old and new equipment for sale, separated into halves of the room. "Why do you have so much of this old cra- uh, antiques for sale? This stuff isn't really the standard nowadays," the dual blade wielder remarked, lifting up an old pickaxe from a barrel.

"There ahre mahny hahnters who prefer the ohld vahys of hahnting, ahnd who vish to keep tha trahditions ahlihve. Those tings ahre mahde vith mahdern mahteriahls, but verk tha sahme as tha ohld ones."

"I guess this is what we'd call a blast from the past," Sapphire commented, scanning through the old wares as well. "Wow, these pitfall traps still use Saturnians to dig out the ground! This is like almost like a museum!"

"Sorry about that, the box had a few too many nails in it," a thin man with dirty blond hair and brown eyes said, stepping out from the back of the store. "What do you need, Mr. Jorge?"

"Halp these hahnters fihnd vaht they ahre looking fohr. You know tha lahyout behttar than I do sihnce you reahrranged tings tha othar dahy."

"Will do! What can I help you all find?"

"I know where the coatings are, so just help my friends here," Viper replied, walking over to the far wall where numerous vials were stacked up neatly.

"Ah, I remember seeing him here a couple days ago… So, what are you two looking for? Potions, whetstones, charms? Or... something special for the two of you, perhaps?"

"What…? Wait, no, we aren't-!"

"We're just friends," Wes said quickly, chuckling a little as Sapphire's face went beet red in embarrassment. "…But I feel like I know you from somewhere. Have we met?"

"Hah, I was wondering if you'd recognize me! It's me, Adrian! Sorry about having nabbed your wallet that day."

"Don't worry about that. You look like a completely different person! How did you get all the way here in less than a week?" the dual sword user asked.

"Well, while I had a string of misfortune which led to the predicament I was in when I swiped your money- again, my apologies-, a few hours after we met I came unto some good luck when I met Jorge. I took my kids to a nice place to eat with some of the money you gave me and I saw him at the restaurant complaining about a lack of customers to his shop. I offered to help him turn things around, and he decided to give me a shot!"

"Really? What did you have to do for that?"

"I offered to set up advertisements and pull things together around here for a modest starting fee. The big guy couldn't say no."

"Wow, that's awfully lucky of you!" Sapphire said. "Have there been very many customers here?"

"A few of the regular veterans still stop by daily to get some goods, but I've always had a bit of a knack for advertising. I put some notices out in the northern districts to get more attention to the store, and I cracked open some of the more modern equipment Jorge had stored in the back to appeal more to the younger crowd. After that, I went about cleaning the place up and rearranging everything into halves: new on the left, old on the right."

"Geez, you did all of that in... how many days?" Wes asked in astonishment.

"Just three. When you lived the way I did for a number of years, you tend to do everything you can to keep from falling back there. Thankfully Jorge offered me and my two sons room and board at his place- it's actually quite sizeable- and he agreed that if I can restore the shop to its former popularity, he'd give it to me when he retires!"

"Guess fortune really smiled on you, eh?" the dual sword user asked with a short chuckle. "Good luck with getting more customers though. Do you have any plans aside from posting notices?"

"I have a few… connections from when I was out on the streets. They'll help spread rumors about us to the hunters, and when they see the numerous notices and advertisements showcasing our stock and service, they'll come flooding through those doors. And once I get my pay for the day's work, I set aside a portion to return to my impoverished friends for their assistance. I'm hoping that in doing so I can get the southern district back on its feet and encourage more people to start having hope again."

"Back on its feet? Why's the southern district been so poor lately?" the blue haired huntress asked. "I've never actually heard why."

"Well, these parts have always been a bit on the poor side, but the founding of the Master Corps had a part as well," Adrian replied with a sigh. "It was so expensive to set up all the facilities and equipment for that organization that many of the shops and taverns around here had to be shut down, since they were considered 'nonessential'. What that really did is put dozens out of work and prevent this part of the city from catching up with the times."

"Huh… I didn't realize this part of Loc Lac had been affected the most..." Wes commented, suddenly feeling a wave of guilt over being a part of the group that had put so many out of work. He decided not to bring up the fact that he or his friends were members of the Corps to avoid an unpleasant turn in the conversation. "Still, tasking yourself with recovery efforts seems like a lot more than you should have to shoulder alone. Isn't that the city council's job?"

"Like I said, the council has been very distracted with the Master Corps… Until the Corps gets on its feet as well, income to the city won't begin in earnest and we'll be stuck in this pit for who knows how long. I've waited long enough for those higher-ups to do something, and if I don't at least try then who else will? I had the chance to make myself into something more, and I decided to give that chance to everyone I can. It may take years, even decades, but in the end I hope to make a difference."

"Adriahn! I pahy you to brihng ihn tha custohmers, noht to mahke smahll tahlk with thehm!" the store owner called from across the room. Adrian flinched a little in surprise, then laughed a little.

"Ah, I… suppose I lost track of myself there. What is it you two were looking for?"

"Just a few potions and some whetstones," Wes replied. "But if I could get some hot and cool drinks too, that'd be a real help."

"I was hoping to get a few bug nets and pick axes," Sapphire added. "But I think I'd prefer the newer ones… Nothing against the old designs, but I wasn't really brought up knowing how to use them," she laughed.

"Ah, don't worry about it! I can get those for you right away!" Adrian quickly led the two over to the tables that held what they were looking for, and the hunters grabbed everything they thought they'd need before heading over to the counter to pay.

"Thahnk you vehry mahch," Jorge said, placing the gold the hunters paid with into a safe box. "Cahme agahin ahnytihme!"

"Will do," Wes replied. "Adrian, good to see you've turned yourself around so much. Keep it up!"

"But of course, my friend! Take care of yourselves now!" the man said, waving to the three hunters as they departed.

"Friend of yours?" Viper asked as they walked outside. "I saw him there when I first found this place, but I didn't know you had met before, bud."

"Ah, well, remember the time my wallet got snatched? Turns out that's the guy who did it! Course, it looks like he's doing a lot better for himself now. Small world, eh?" Wes replied with a chuckle.

"Wait, you're telling me you let that guy go without even some kind of a punishment?!" the archer asked, almost venomously. "He stole your money! That guy is a criminal; we ought to turn him in!"

"Whoa, calm down there, Viper!" Sapphire urged, confused at his sudden outburst. "It's not like he did it for nothing… Besides, it looks like he doesn't have to do that anymore, and he's trying to help prevent others from doing the same!"

"Why should that matter? He still broke the law, and who knows how many times he's stolen before!" he shouted, bringing the group to a halt by the street.

"What's the problem?" Wes asked, noting the hostility in his friend's tone. "It's not like you to freak out like this. You didn't seem as bugged about it happening when it did."

"Because I thought you at least taught him a lesson! You can't just let someone off the hook because they have an excuse, Wes!"

"What did you want me to do, beat the crap out of the guy in front of his kids? He was just trying to get money to feed them! That'd just be plain wrong, Viper!"

"Well, maybe it woulda taught them to never break the law!"

"Viper, didn't you and Wes get into trouble with the Guild officers a few days back?" Sapphire asked quickly. "I heard from the others that you broke a law then too..."

"That's not the same at all," the archer muttered, looking aside. "I can't know when a new law is passed in the city that was never mentioned before! Besides, getting into a bar fight and stealing from someone are two totally different things! What we did shouldn't have even been an offense, considering we acted in self defense!"

"Then why didn't we explain that to the officers rather than running?" Wes asked sharply. "If I recall, it was your idea to run from them."

"Do you have any idea how corrupt Guild officers can be in some parts of the city? I wasn't going to take chances with people who get paid solely on how many arrests they make!"

"So... exactly what kind of justice works for you?" Sapphire asked, confused with the archer's statement. "If breaking the law is bad, and the law enforcement is bad... where's the good?"

"In us! People who know there are problems! We need to try and fix things on our own, because the 'higher ups' we trust to do the work for us get more money the longer it takes to make a choice. So, I made my own choice, and my own justice too. Don't intentionally break the law and don't wrong other people unless you expect the same to happen to you tenfold."

"Kinda sounds like what Adrian was saying," Wes mumbled to himself. "Viper, listen, the whole 'personal justice' thing is alright, but why do you have such a vendetta against people like Adrian? It's not like you've been affected, right?"

"Not been affected...? Not been affected?! I got robbed blind four years ago and my dad got killed in the process! And as far as I know, the people who did that got off scot free! So you tell me, Wes, how have I 'not been affected'?"

Wes stood in a stunned silence, glancing away from his friend uncomfortably. _Blast, he helped me feel better after Jeremy died, and that's how I repay him?_ But... _I had no idea... Dammit, how was I supposed to know? It's not like I was trying to pry into his private life... _

"Oh… I... I'm sorry to hear about your father, Viper…" Sapphire stated somberly, drawing Wes' attention back to the conversation at hand.

"...Viper, look. It's terrible what happened to you and your dad-"

"No, really?! It happened right in front of me!" the archer snapped. "I think it's affected me a shit ton!"

"Okay, but that's not Adrian's fault!" Wes argued. "He was trying to feed his kids, and now he's working to try and help the other poor families around here! Isn't that redemption?"

"Let me ask you something instead, _Wes. _Do you think that all these people are innocent? What about the others who only steal for themselves? Who kill and take from others for their own greedy wants?! I'll bet you any money that there are people here who live like that, and your pal Adrain is _helping them._ Those people shouldn't get a second chance."

"This really isn't like you, Viper," Wes noted after a brief silence, crossing his arms. "If they don't deserve a second chance, what should they get?"

"A wooden box, and nothing else... People who take advantage of the fortune of others, who kill because it suits their greedy wants... Those are the people who shouldn't get any mercy." After a few moments of uneasy quiet, the archer quickly walked ahead of Wes and Sapphire, muttering under his breath as he rounded a corner and disappeared from sight.

"…He's wrong…" Wes mumbled, troubled by Viper's sudden aggression. "No one should think like that..."

"I can't really blame him though… Can you imagine what it'd be like if your father was killed and you were robbed of all your things?" the blue haired huntress asked, sympathetic to the archer's plight.

"…Not really, considering the robbers would have to be pretty lucky to actually get a good hit in on my pa… But I see what you're trying to say. I'll talk to him about it later once he'd cooled his head a little… And once we find out how we're going to get back to HQ, considering our guide just left us in the middle of the damn city!" the hunter groaned, rubbing his temples irately. "Do you know the way back, Saph?"

"Uhm… No, I was… kinda looking at all the buildings," she sheepishly replied. "So… I'm guessing we're lost?"

"I'm gonna have to start keeping count of how many times this happens…" he sighed, walking down the street towards the path Viper had walked into.

"Wes, I have a quick question," Sapphire stated, catching up to him quickly. "You said he was wrong about what he said... What did you mean?"

"I meant that it's wrong to say some people don't deserve a second chance. I think that even in the worst people, there's a chance for something better, and if you show that to them they can turn it all around. It doesn't seem like Viper would've given Adrian the chance I did."

The short sword-wielder was silent for a time as she walked alongside him, as if she was pondering something intently.

"...Y'know, these past few days have been really crazy, haven't they?" she said slowly. "Honestly... I still feel really bad about what happened in the Tundra, and hearing how the Corps actually put so many people out of work... It almost hurts to think about it. Then there's Viper's outburst, which really didn't help lighten the mood... Sometimes I think it just isn't possible to brighten everyone's day..."

"Not with that attitude," Wes pointed out as they rounded a corner onto a somewhat large street leading towards the center of Loc Lac. "If you just give up on something, then it won't happen for sure. But if you keep trying... If you don't give up, even when it seems hopeless, maybe you'll succeed."

"Those are words to live by," Sapphire said, giggling to herself. "Did you memorize that speech?"

"Actually, my Pa told me that once... Just when I had started out hunting, I had a pretty bad run in with a pack of Jaggis, and... well, let's just say I've got a lot of scars. I honestly thought I wouldn't make it in the hunting world after getting wrecked by creatures veterans can take down with one strike, but then my Pa said that to me. I think he probably came up with that on the spot, but it was still pretty good advice..."

"If Viper had given up when he'd been robbed, he wouldn't have gotten here either. Maybe you understand him better than you might think."

"...Maybe if we can catch up to him I can talk to him about it," Wes sighed. "Didn't realize I'd have to be on the receiving end of a heart to heart conversation anytime soon..."

"Well, what are we just doing standing around then?" Sapphire asked excitedly, nudging him slightly and picking up her pace a little. "Come on, I'll bet we can catch him if we hurry!"

"There's no need to rush, Saph," Wes replied. "We don't even know where we are right now!"

"I guess you'll have to live without your wallet then!" she called back mischievously, darting away as she held the brown money-holder above her head. Wes took a moment to glance down in surprise to see that she had indeed swiped it from him.

"Dammit Saph, get back here!" he shouted, running after her. "That's not funny!"

* * *

"Almost got me there, Corrin! But you'll have to do better than that to get another point on me!" Trance quickly backed away from the other officer, brandishing his thin practice foil before him in an en garde stance. Corrin quickly closed the distance between them and lunged, intent on driving the blunt tip of his flat sword into Trance's white protective jacket.

Anticipating the move, Trance parried the attack, knocking his opponents blade aside, and thrust his sword arm out towards Corrin's torso. The tip struck right on top of the man's heart, inches below the protective bib attached to the wire framed mask he wore.

"Bah, you got me again! So, next one is match point, right?" Corrin stated, returning to his starting position on the strip they were practicing on. Outside of the Master Corps HQ building, a sizable space of land was set aside for the hunters to use as a practice zone for their various techniques and weapons. This particular strip, almost ten meters in length, was made specifically for officers to practice their fencing skills.

"You got it. Score is 14-6, my lead," the officer replied, adjusting the glove covering his right hand and gripping his practice foil again. "En garde, ready…Fence!"

The two combatants slowly inched their way towards one another, warily inspecting the other's stance and blade position. Trance made the first attack, a short thrust with his arm that he intended to catch the other man by surprise with. Corrin instinctively blocked the attack, though, twisting his wrist in a way to throw the point of Trance's blade downwards and open his guard. Trance instinctively threw himself backwards as Corrin lunged at him, bringing his foil up in time to knock his opponent's blade away as he landed.

Keeping on the tips of his toes, Trance again slowly made his way towards his opponent, making circles with the tip of his practice sword to keep Corrin guessing as to what his next move would be. The man grinned to himself as he thought up a quick plan to end the match in his favor, something his opponent couldn't see through the dark wiring covering his face.

Making as if to lunge at Corrin's right shoulder, Trance waited a split second as the man's reflexes took over and brought his guard to where he thought Trance would attack. Corrin hadn't expected the brown eyed officer to use a feint, though. As soon as Corrin's guard shifted away from his left side, Trance pulled his sword back and took a short leap forward, arm extended, and made a sudden shout to surprise his opponent.

The maneuver worked just as well as Trance had hoped: Corrin was caught off guard by both the feint and the sudden yelp his opponent made, and couldn't react quickly enough to parry the blade as it approached. The tip of Trance's foil slammed into Corrin's jacketed chest with enough force to actually knock him onto his rear, his sword rolling away from his grasp as he landed.

"Geez, you didn't have to get that into it for the last one," Corrin said, rubbing the spot the blade had struck.

"Sorry, mate, sometimes I get a little too competitive," Trance laughed, sheathing his foil in a small metal loop near his waist and helping the other man to his feet. Both officers removed their masks and shook hands respectfully. "Good match."

"To you as well. But tell me, where did you learn to fence like that, Trance? I haven't seen anyone that good before."

"Hah, well, I put most of my time at the Academy into my fencing classes… Academics were never really my thing, so swordplay was the best part of the day for me. I put everything I could into it, since I knew that while I might not be at the top of the class in book smarts, I could at least be at the top with combat smarts."

"That's not a bad way to look at it… But what exactly did you get on the exit exam? There's no swordplay involved in that."

"Ehh… I got a C+. Just between us, I did have a little 'help' on that…"

"Then how did you get scouted for the Corps?" Corrin asked, beginning to remove the padded jacket and glove he wore. "I thought Balestra only allowed people with high scores in both halves of the Academy to work under him."

"Guess one balanced out the other somehow," Trance replied with a shrug, placing his equipment into the bag he had carried it to the training field in. He wiped the sweat off of his forehead with the back of his hand; fencing was a taxing exercise in and of itself, but wearing all of that protective gear under the hot desert sun only made it harder. The pair had to repeatedly take water breaks between bouts to prevent themselves from dehydrating.

"So it would seem… You said he put you into the Information Processing Division, right? What does that entail?"

"Mostly just filing reports, gathering information, occasionally running errands for him. I'm midway through a hunt report right now, actually. How about you?"

"Hah, me? I'm just a supervisor and guard under Lyle. I make sure these guys don't get too out of hand, y'know?" An angry shout from across the field drew both of their gazes to a bench on the opposite end of the training grounds, where a green haired huntress was storming away from a trio of hunters seated by the shooting range.

"Kinda like that?" Trance asked, shouldering his bag.

"...As long as no one dies and no limbs are lost, my job is done. Besides, I'm off duty right now."

"Good point. I gotta say though, it's kind of impressive seeing all these hunters here. The best of the best, training for the hardest jobs imaginable... Hell, I heard a rumor from one of them that they even uncovered what was causing those whirlpools out by Tanzia!"

"Really now? What did they say did it?"

"Apparently one of the rarest monsters alive: an Abyssal Lagiacrus!"

"You're kidding," Corrin scoffed. "Those are only myths, and you know it. Just like the so called 'Goldbeard Ceadeus' and 'Hallowed Jhen Mohran'."

"I remember you saying the same thing about the Lucent Nargacuga," Trance pointed out, walking into the Headquarters building with his friend.

"That… was a one-time mistake. I was wrong once, sure, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong about everything else."

"Hah, tell that to your woman, Corrin. She'll educate you on why you're completely wrong about everything!"

"Don't get me started on that… You met her one time, Trance, and I still think that was the biggest mistake of my career. Did you have to tell her about the incident with the scientists?"

"Only because it was a great conversation starter. I had to break the ice somehow."

"Ah, an icebreaker, was it? Me almost getting blown up by a felvine bomb helps 'break the ice'?" Corrin said wryly, calling for the elevator to bring them to their quarters in the upper floors.

"She seemed to like the way you smelled that night, at least. You sure she isn't part Felyne?"

"…I haven't seen a tail yet, so I'll assume no, but she was quite… affectionate after dinner," Corrin muttered, his face flushing a little bit. "What about you though? Still playing the fields, are we?"

"Erm… yeah… Not gonna lie, I think the hunter types suit me better. Unfortunately, most of the attractive ones I've seen have something about them that really puts me off."

"Such as?"

"Alright, take that Snow chick for example. She's pretty, right? She's a good conversationalist, she's got a nice... uh, 'build', and she's a fun person to be around. Well, then there's her brother, Jack frickin' Frost. You get close to her, you're within draw distance of that sword of his. And he never says anything! It's probably the most unnerving thing I've ever felt before, thinking there's a guy at the ready to gut you with one wrong move."

"What would you say if I told you he was right behind you?" Corrin asked with a sly grin.

"I'd say you're Bullfango shitting me," Trance replied with a short chuckle. "Do you honestly think I'd fall for something that obvious?"

"Come on, easy there, Frost... Try not to move your arm too much, alright?" a voice behind the officers said. Corrin and Trance glanced at each other confusedly before turning around to see the armor clad hunter being escorted to the stairs by Snow, who was wearing casual day wear. She noticed Trance as the officers stared at them, giving the man a friendly wave as she passed. "Hey there, Trance! Good to see you! Can't stay for long, sorry, but I'll see you around!"

The officers watched the pair as they ascended the stairs and disappeared from sight before turning to face one another.

"I didn't think you were being serious!" Trance hissed.

"Neither did I!" Corrin retorted, keeping his own voice low. "Did you actually see me look back once?!"

"What if she heard that conversation?! My chances with her probably just went right down the drain!"

"Weren't you just talking about how you didn't want to chance it with her anyways because of her brother?"

"I- No, you- Shut up!"

* * *

Sal giggled to herself as she watched the two arguing Corps officers board the elevator bound for the top floors. She had only heard snippets of their conversations, but apparently one of them was in a relationship with a Felyne, and that was enough to make an entire day spent sitting behind a desk filing paperwork infinitely more entertaining. Seeing their reaction to the Tundra Twins (as she had started referring to Frost and Snow) walking in behind them was only further icing on the cake. This was one of her favorite parts of being a liaison: seeing how everyone who walked through the doors opposite her interacted with each other.

She glanced over to the door as she saw the familiar figure of her husband stride into the building, his worn navy blue captain's coat billowing out behind his legs. The captain stopped and dusted the sand off of his coat before walking onto the carpeted section of the lobby.

"Welcome back, dear," the liaison said cheerfully, embracing her beloved as he approached her. "How was the sand sea today?"

"Mostly the same as always," Dustin laughed. "Dry, hot, and windy. We actually ended up sailing past the ruins of the old fortress on our way to pick up a group of hunters from the Sandy Plains. Barely anything there but black rocks now... It's been a long time since that all happened, hasn't it?"

"It really has... Almost twenty years, and it seems like it all went by so fast..."

"You aren't regretting anything, are you?" the captain asked with a knowing smile.

"Aside from blasting that Ivory Lagiacrus' head off when it almost killed you, no," she replied, not having fond memories of the incident.

"Still... If it hadn't been for that, who knows what we'd be doing now. For all we know, if I hadn't gotten... injured, we'd be hunting something ten times more likely to kill us. I wouldn't want to lose you to something like that, hun."

Sal smiled warmly at her husband and embraced him again. "I just think you don't want the burden of parenthood alone," she jokingly purred into his ear.

"Hah, perhaps... It is hard raising Kari with us being away with so much with work. At least Zephyr and Kylie are willing to watch her for us during the days, but I don't believe it's good for her interacting with them more than us."

"Maybe I can take some time off next week and watch her. Sir Balestra has a few other liaisons available too, you know. I'm sure a week off would be nothing."

"You forget your own standing here, Mrs. Head Liaison," Dustin joked, patting her head affectionately. "To be honest, I think it's a great idea. I just wish I had the opportunity to do the same. Not easy to get time off when I have to ferry groups of hunters between the Plains and Loc Lac each day..."

"You'll get more time before long, don't you worry, Mr. Captain," Sal assured, kissing him lightly on the cheek. "So, when do you plan on shaving that fur off of your face?"

"Does it really bother you that much?" he replied, scratching at the stubbly blond beard growing on his face. "I personally like the look quite well..."

"It pricks me every time I get close to you, you know! I don't find that very enjoyable!"

"Last I checked, York and I had a similar idea with our facial hair, and Rose hardly seemed to care about his at all."

"Well, you aren't him, and I do care, so you'd better get rid of it within the week!"

"It only took me a couple days to grow it out this much; we'll probably have the same talk next week, dear."

"Doesn't matter. I want it gone, kapeesh?"

"Alright, alright, fine... But it's your turn to pick up Kari from Zephyr's place next, deal?"

"Seems like a fair trade, Mr. Captain. But tell me, are you going to use a razor this time, or will you insist on using that 'gift' York sent you?"

"Oh, this?" Dustin asked, holding his arm to release a thin grey blade hidden below his sleeve. "It has more uses than just stabbing things, Mrs. Head Liaison."

"Like cutting your face off," she pointed out, poking at a check-shaped scar on his left cheek. "I don't see why you men always find the need to show off so much by doing the stupidest things..."

"Because women like those stupid things. It worked with you, no?"

"Maybe it did... But perhaps I like a _sensible_ idiot as opposed to a _complete_ idiot."

"Luckily for you, I seemed to fit that criteria from day one!" Dustin laughed, retracting the blade and kissing his wife lovingly. "Ah, I almost forgot! You were between shifts when I came back earlier, but a box came in for Wes earlier. Mind telling him when he comes back?"

"Will do," Sally replied, giving her beloved another affectionate hug. "But can I ask you something? Do you really like working like this? It's almost like we aren't expected to take many breaks or have time for ourselves, let alone each other... Do you think Sir Balestra may be pushing the hunters a little for just the first week? I've seen some of the assignments he's sent them off on, and these ones seem like the hardest ones he could find..."

"Hmm... It's hard to tell what he's thinking, but it could be that he just wants the Corps to become something noteworthy. He has spent the better part of the last ten years working towards this, after all. As for time for each other... I can always provide more of that if you so desire."

"Oh, really now?" Sal replied with a knowing smile, playing along with the captains teasing. "Such a brave and kind man you are, having the gall to set aside everything just for your poor, distressing maiden!"

"When her happiness is the only treasure I seek, everything else pales in comparison," he stated, kneeling down and kissing her ring finger. "But alas, I must be off again. I promise, when next I dock in these ports I will devote the rest of my day to you, my dear. Until then, I must bid you a fond farewell."

"Alright, get going, Mr. Captain," she laughed, waving as her beloved again walked out the door, confidence and authority seeming to flow behind him just as his coattails did.

The liaison chuckled to herself as she pulled a ruby necklace out from her shirt. It was something Dustin had helped her get many years before when they had just met, a rare piece of jewelry made from a Rathian Ruby and a Rathalos Ruby. She had cherished it for the entire time they'd known each other, refusing to remove it from around her neck no matter what.

_You definitely are an idiot, Dustin... But at least you're my idiot._

* * *

"Finally... that took way longer than it should have," Wes said, stopping to catch his breath outside the gates leading to the Master Corps' private district.

"It wasn't that bad!" Sapphire replied playfully, leaning on the wall next to him. "Just think of it as a fun way to learn your way around!"

"I wasn't paying attention to the sights, y'know. I was more concerned with catching the blue-headed maniac who stole my money."

"Oh, don't make it sound so negative! I planned on giving it back to you from the start."

"And what do you think everyone on the streets thought seeing me chasing you across the rooftops on our way back here? That's not exactly a subtle method of travel."

"Only cuz you were yelling at me the whole time! And besides, I thought you liked a little bit of flare; 'hunting in style', right?"

"That wasn't exactly a hunt, but fair enough..." the dual blade user sighed, pushing himself up and walking towards the HQ building. "I'm going to look for Viper now. Maybe he went back here while we were playing tag."

Sapphire followed a short distance before noticing the other three Gem Sisters gathered by the training grounds. "Shoot, I forgot I promised to meet up with them to practice our moves! I'll catch ya later, blondie! Good luck with Viper!" she shouted, waving to her friends and running over to them.

"Dammit, I thought I could go one day without hearing that nickname..." Wes muttered sourly as he made his way into headquarters and pulled his hood down. He was greeted by the sight of Snow conversing with Sal at the front counter, and quickly walked over to them.

"Oh, heya Wes!" the white haired huntress greeted warmly, turning and giving him a welcoming smile. "How've you been holding up? We haven't really seen each other much since the Tundra..."

"Guess not, no. How's Jack Frost doing?"

"Hah, that's a new one! He's alright, but we aren't going off on any hunts for the next week or so. His arm needs a break from using the quickdraw so much."

"Viper said Frost threw the Zinogre back when it tried to gut you... Exactly how strong is that guy? I don't think I know anyone aside from my Uncle who could pull off a move like that."

"He's as strong as he needs to be, I guess," she replied. "He has to be to use his sword the way he does. Still, he isn't invincible... I'm just glad most of us were able to make it out of there okay. That Stygian Zinogre was no joke..."

"Yeah... You don't seem too bothered about Jeremy not making it, though," Wes pointed out, noting the huntress' eased expression. Snow gave him a confused, almost shocked look before shaking her head quickly.

"Oh, no, it's... well, I just have my own way of dealing with death... I've seen a lot of hunters fall before..."

"Everyone has their own way of coping with losses," Sal said sympathetically, smiling at the two. "Even if you lost a comrade, and you may lose more in the future. Maybe this experience will give you more reason to try your best and get everyone back safe and sound."

"Yeah... It's not something I'm used to, at least..." Wes mumbled, again recalling how close he had been to pulling the older hunter onto the airship with him.

"Here, I have some news that might brighten your day a little, Wes!" the liaison said enthusiastically, pulling his mind away from the incident. "A package arrived for you earlier today while you were out. Dustin had it brought up to your room. Three guesses who it's from!"

"Huh...I think I'll check it out in a little bit," Wes said. "Did either of you see Viper come in earlier?"

"I saw him come in about a half hour ago, but he went right upstairs without saying anything," Snow confirmed. "It didn't really seem like him. Usually Viper makes at least one smart-ass joke when I see him. Do you know anything about what's bugging him?"

"Follow me up; I'll tell you on the way," Wes said, beginning to walk over to the elevator.

"Wait, you can't use that!" Sal urged from across the room. "The stupid thing broke down again... A couple officers got stuck inside there, and we're working on getting them out right now."

"I can't even get on the thing without it breaking down..." the dual blade wielder groaned, making his way to the staircase instead. Snow joined him in his ascent, and Wes recounted what had happened with the golden-eyed archer earlier, finishing just as they made it to his floor.

"Wow, I... didn't realize he was so against those kind of people," Snow remarked slowly, taking in what Wes had told her. "I mean... well, sure, it makes sense, but... Did he really say they didn't deserve a second chance...?"

"I know, it's a harsh mindset, ain't it?" the dual blade wielder replied, walking over to Viper's door. He paused before reaching it, though. "...It would probably help to have some kind of plan of what to say before I do this, huh?"

"I don't mind giving you a hand!" Snow said, walking over to the door. "Just follow my lead, okay?"

"Erm... Okay...?"

The huntress knocked a few more times, becoming a little impatient at the fact that he hadn't answered in almost a minute. "Viper, open up! It's us! I know you're in there!"

The door slowly creaked open then, just enough for the golden-eyed archer to stick his head out of the frame to see them.

"What do you want? You bring Snow along to talk my ear off?"

"Listen Viper," the huntress began. "Wes told me about the fight you two had earlier, and I can understand why you're upset with him. But come on, you two are practically best friends! So what if you disagree on something: we're not all the same! There's no use in hating each other because of one disagreement, right?"

"I guess not... Doesn't mean I exactly forgive you for the 'not affected' comment though," Viper said, shooting a cold glare in Wes' direction.

"Eh... I guess I really should apologize... I'm sorry I came off like a bit of an asshole with what I said-"

"'A bit'?"

"Okay, yeah, I probably sounded like a huge asshole. Point is, I'm sorry I said what I did without realizing you probably had a good reason for believing that." Snow urged Wes to continue with a hand motion, which he only picked up on a few seconds after she continued to do so. "And, uh, do you think we could move past this?"

Viper gave the blue and green eyed hunter a shocked look, almost as if he was surprised that he was actually apologizing. "Well, I... I guess I was sorta in the wrong there too," he said, opening the door fully and stepping into the hallway. "Sorry about blowing up on you without telling you all that before hand. Just... don't talk about the politics of that with me, alright?"

"And what about religion?" Wes joked, smirking as he saw Viper chuckle a little.

"Yeah, friends shouldn't discuss politics or religion, bud," the golden eyed archer said, holding out his hand in a gesture of peace. Wes took it, and the two attempted to perform an elaborate handshake, though it ended somewhat poorly. "We should probably try to work on that..."

"At least we agreed on a truce, right?" Wes laughed.

"Great job, you two!" Snow said happily, suddenly pulling them both into a tight hug. "I just knew you'd make up!"

"Whoa, whoa, when did you get so touchy-feely?!" Viper shouted in a flustered surprise, his face buried into Snow's sizable chest.

"This got really awkward extremely fast..." Wes said nervously, finding himself in a similar predicament to the archer. After a few moments, the huntress released the pair, who were more than a little flustered.

"Well, I think I ought to go and check up on how Frost is doing," the white-haired huntress said with a sly wink. Wes quickly determined that she had probably intended to do that fairly early on. "I'll see you both around! And Wes, you can thank me later."

Wes and Viper both watched the huntress walk down the stairs before turning to each other nervously, neither having a clue what just happened.

"Was... was she coming onto one of us?" Wes asked awkwardly, feeling that his face was still slightly reddened. Viper was likewise flustered, and shook his head quickly in response.

"I have no idea. No one understands women, remember?"

* * *

Wes soon retired to his room to inspect the package Sal had informed him of. Seeing a medium sized box resting on his desk, the hunter walked over to the table and removed the note tied to the top, opened it and began reading.

_Wes,_

_I'm sorry this letter has to be a shorter one, but your father accidently burned the first one he wrote -along with his writing hand- trying to use a new gadget he put together. Personally, I couldn't be happier hearing how well you've been doing! It puts your mother's heart at ease, at the very least. Fortunately, your thick-skulled father managed to put together the blade for your friend Viper before almost blowing his hand off, but he told me to remind you to give Viper a run down on how to use it. It isn't a toy!_

_I added something for you myself, too; I know you probably miss my home cooking, so I packed couple meals in the storage tin for you! Always remember to eat breakfast, and you'll have the energy to tangle with the toughest monsters out there! _

_Your father also said to tell you he finds the schematics you sent him to be very interesting, so once his hand heals he'll get right onto putting something together. If I can ask one thing, though, try not to send him too many things involving explosives or fire... I've had about enough of that over the years. _

_Anyways, I've got to get back to patching up this lug's hand, so I'll end the letter here. Good luck out there, Wes, and remember to always be careful. I know how you hunt, and I just want to make sure when I see you next you have all your limbs attached._

_Love, Ma and Pa_

Upon finishing the letter, Wes set it down and extended one of his wrist blades, using it to pry the lid open before retracting it. Tossing the lid to the ground, he immediately went for the silvery tin box used to store food for extended periods of time resting within. _I didn't realize how much I missed her cooking until she sent this... A week without Ma's food is like living hell for me!_

Only two meals were packed inside the box, but all Wes cared about was the fact that he now could enjoy his favorite food for the first time since leaving home. At a speed which would leave even Viper impressed, the hunter scarfed down a juicy dragon tail steak and a loaf of freshly baked heaven bread, sighing in content as he leaned back in his chair after finishing the first one.

"That hit the spot... I'd better save the other one for later," he mumbled, putting the other food back into the tin and setting it back into the box. His gaze shifted from the tin to a smaller rectangular box covered in leather, which he lifted out after a moment's hesitation.

_After what Viper said before, even if he is calmed down now, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to give this to him... Not yet, at least. _Still, Wes couldn't deny that he was interested in the blade's appearance, and he decided to open the leather case to inspect the device within.

It looked like a simple grey device similar to the ones Wes wore, though he noted it was about an inch wider to accommodate the tail spike blade. There was also a strange hole in the back of the blade compartment, something Wes hadn't remembered his father ever adding before.

Pressing the button on the bottom of the device, the blue- and green-eyed hunter watched as a silvery-azure blade extended from within, giving off a pale golden glow as the sunlight from outside his window reflected off of it. The blade was about an inch shorter than Wes', though it was indeed wider, making it more suitable to deliver slashes than stabs. It was a little more jagged than the metal blades Wes owned, though this was mostly a result of the difficulty in cutting down its size.

After a moment Wes decided to return the blade to the box, but paused upon seeing a small note inside. He took it out and unfurled it curiously, beginning to read the familiar scribbles on it.

_Wes and/or Viper,_

_I decided to experiment a little with this blade, given the spike seemed to have the properties for an idea I had a while ago. I removed the latent poison within the blade, leaving it open to be replaced with any other status you might want to use instead: namely sleep, paralysis, and poison. If you don't have any added, it'll function just like an ordinary wrist blade. If you want to add a status, retract the blade and insert a bow coating into the hole on the back. It'll drain about an arrow's worth of the solution, but it'll last for a good few slashes against a monster. Use it right, and you could even paralyze a monster with one stab. _

_Wes, make sure you give Viper a detailed explanation on how to use this. I don't give these out lightly, and with these additions especially you had better ensure your friend doesn't hurt himself, or someone else, for that matter._

_I trust you can teach him well enough, though. Be safe!_

_York_

"What the hell... Viper got a cooler blade than I did!" Wes mumbled, feeling a twinge of jealousy. "Maybe I could... No, no, keeping it would be a dick move. Plus, he'd notice if I just started buying bow coatings... I'll just hold onto it until I'm sure he won't go on a criminal stabbing spree..."

Placing both the blade and the note back inside the leather case and closed it, setting it aside and grabbing a fresh sheet of paper and a pencil. "Time to write a response, then..."

_Dear Ma and Pa,_

_Well, things have definitely gotten more eventful over here. We had a job in the Tundra a few days ago involving an old ruin and a Stygian Zinogre straight out of hell. I won't lie, this was the first job I've ever been on that I completely failed. The ruins were empty when we reached the end, and we left one of our group behind to escape the Zinogre. Almost caught his hand from the side of the ship, but he fell an inch too short. It wasn't really easy to deal with, but luckily I've got some good friends over here who helped me out of it. I guess not every job can be a success, huh? Still, that doesn't mean I'm going to let this get me down any longer. I won't let it happen to anyone else if I can help it, at least. _

_Ma, thanks a ton for the food. Your cooking beats everything out here, hands down. I'd share some with the others, but that's only if I can convince myself not to eat it all at once. And Pa, I think you owe me for that bet we made last month; you said you wouldn't almost blow a limb off the first week I was gone, remember? Since I'm pretty sure you forgot, I'll remind you that you owe me five hundred gold._

_No need to worry about me, I'm only taking risks that I think are necessary. Hopefully one of my jobs might land me near Moga so I can visit sometime! Until next time, good hunting, and stay sharp._

_Wes_

Feeling content with the letter, Wes sealed and addressed it, pushing himself up from the desk as soon as he had finished. He pocketed the envelope inside his belt pouch before making his way out of the room, ready to face whatever challenges awaited him next.

* * *

**_Author Notes: _**_Exposition chapter! Not a lot of action happening this time around, though I'm getting some good old fashioned character and plot development out of the way at least. This chapter had something of a "development hell", considering it took me a week to get motivated to write it after all the action in the previous ones. Unfortunately, that also came at the price of depleting my reserve chapters, so I've gotta work my ass off if I'm gonna get back up to speed. I've decided to consistently release chapters on Saturdays since I've had an abundance of time as of late, and I'd like to stick with it as much as possible. Fortunately, I don't believe I'll have the same problem for the next few chapters, so I should be able to get back into more comfortable territory. It'll only take a few long nights, a couple cups of coffee, maybe some adrenaline boosters... Yes, I am kidding. Are you not entertained? Okay, don't forget to leave a review about your thoughts, and I'll see you all around, my faithful readers!_

**_Playing:_**_MH3U, Dead Rising 3, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (felt like kicking it old school for once)_

**_Listening to: _**_OneRepublic, Paramore, The Offspring_

**_Watching: _**_Not much, really. Any suggestions would be appreciated._

**_Reading:_**_The Lost Civilization: DLC, Weapon- A Visual History of Arms and Armor (This is just yes)_


	8. Floodgate

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated. Harker belongs to dashboardgecko._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 8- Floodgate

The next couple months were spent much the same as that first week. Most times, Wes was sent on exploration and recovery missions, since he was deemed as one of the top picks for such work, though he was also involved in numerous hunting contracts as well. Most of his jobs ended favorably, though some came to less than stellar conclusions as well. Still, he loved every minute of it. With each successful job, the Master Corps became more and more respected as the driving force behind advanced monster hunting and recent improvements in the city.

Fortunately, Balestra had seen fit to allow members leave of service every other week, giving them the chance to embark on regular quests with regular hunters, or simply take time for themselves. Thanks to that, Wes had found time to begin teaching Viper some of the basics of hand to hand combat, though he had not yet given the archer the wrist blade his father had crafted. While the dual blade wielder had found some initial difficulties in teaching his friend, Viper was eager to learn, and made fairly good progress in a very short amount of time.

"Alright Viper, try again!" Wes jabbed at the archer twice, which the golden-eyed man swiftly blocked. He retaliated with a kick aimed at Wes' ribs, but the hunter easily ducked below the strike and landed a punch into Viper's back, knocking him forward from the impact. "C'mon, you can't drop your guard! Only use a stronger attack when your opponent can't dodge it!"

"Where the hell did you learn all of this?!" Viper asked exhaustedly, turning around and getting back into a fighting stance. He threw a punch at Wes, who blocked the attack with his forearm and shoved the archer away.

"My Pa taught me this when I was barely even ten! Consider this basic training!"

"Aw hell…"

The two sparred for several more minutes before Wes agreed to take a break. Both hunters were coated in sweat from the desert sun above the training yard and the physical exertions of their heated bout.

A number of other hunters had taken to watching the pair in their endeavors, which Wes found very satisfying. _Seems like even more are here today than usual… Must be getting pretty popular to watch us go at it like this, after all. _

The hunter took a long drink from a bottle of water and sat on a bench beside the exhausted Viper. The archer had already downed three bottles of water, and was currently chugging a fourth.

"Whew! Not a bad way to cool down, eh, bud?" Viper asked, setting the now empty bottle down. "So, give it to me straight: how good do you think I've gotten?"

"Well, I think you've got enough skill to take down anyone without training like this, which basically means most hunters in the city," Wes answered. "Against someone with similar training, though, you'll need more practice. Still, compared to the Viper who was practically shitting himself at that bar fight a few weeks ago, you've come really far."

"Glad to hear it! I've gotta get some more practice in though. I've gotta pay you back for all these bruises, after all!"

"I'm sure you'll get good enough to do that eventually," Wes joked. Despite the blue-and-green-eyed hunter's tutelage, Viper still had a tendency to focus on stronger blows with easy tells, which Wes' quicker and less forceful strikes were able to overwhelm. Even then, Viper's own adaptability had proven to be one of his best traits, and Wes had barely managed to dodge a few close calls.

"Oh great, looks like we have a few more visitors," Viper muttered, glancing over Wes's shoulder and rolling his eyes before opening another water bottle. The dual blade wielder turned around to see Emerald and Amethyst approaching them, both fully geared up in suits of G-Rank Nargacuga and Arzuros armor, respectively.

"I see you two have been entertaining yourselves," the green haired huntress said. "How's the little snake doing? Gotten any better at throwing his little fists around?"

"Good enough that I could trounce you if I wanted to," Viper shot back, setting another empty bottle down. "What are you here for, besides gawking at how awesome we are?"

"We were actually looking for Sapphire, thank you very much. Ruby wanted us to find her. I don't really care what you two nimrods get up to. Have you seen her around?"

"Did you check behind the plant on the seventh floor? That's where I usually find her," Wes commented, chuckling a little.

"What were you two doing behind the plant…?" Amethyst asked, as if she had suddenly snapped back into reality from a daydream.

"…Okay, that was really random…" Viper said, laughing confusedly at the purple haired huntress' question. "Does she always do that?"

"Kind of, yeah. Why, you trying to get to know her better? Gonna ask her out or something?" Emerald inquired with a wicked smirk.

"No, no... I'm alright... No thanks..." Amethyst mumbled as she embarrassedly buried her face in her hands and hid behind the green-eyed archer.

"I really don't get why you two are always getting on each other's case so much," Wes said after recovering from a fit of laughter. "Is it possible for either of you to say anything remotely nice about the other?"

"No!" they both shouted in unison, and Wes shook his head in mild amusement as their banter began to escalate. In the meantime, Amethyst had slowly crept away from behind Emerald and lowered herself onto the bench beside Wes, watching the archers argue with each other.

"So… how are you…?" Amethyst asked meekly, glancing at the dual blade wielder.

"I'm fine, how about you? We haven't really talked much, have we?" Wes replied with a quick smile.

"Uhm… I'm fine… I guess we haven't… Did you want to talk more or something…?"

"I don't mind a conversation with a new face every now and then. Tell me about yourself."

"Oh… Well, my measurements are 33 C-"

"Whoa, whoa, that's _not_ what I meant!" Wes said in a flustered mixture of surprise and confusion. "I meant like why you got into hunting or something, not… _that_."

"Uhm… I'm sorry, I'm just... not really good with making small talk…" the purple haired huntress mumbled, having buried her face in her hands again. After a moment, she lifted her face again, and Wes could see the faint remnants of a blush leaving her cheeks. "I guess I just started hunting when I needed a job… Seemed like the easiest thing to get into…"

"It's definitely the most popular occupation, that's for sure. Any relatives in the business too?"

"No, no… just me. I don't have any actual relatives…"

"I… see… And how did you meet your color-coded companions?"

"We've been friends since we were kids… Just kinda happened…" she replied lazily, like she was zoning out.

"…You really aren't a great conversationalist, are you?"

"I'm great at… things…"

"Alright, that's it!" Emerald shouted, bringing Wes' attention back to the huntress and Viper. "We'll see who the better shot is, right now! Get your bow, and we'll have a shoot off!" With a huff, she began making her way towards the shooting range.

"Alright, give me a minute, and I'll school you on how being a deadeye really works, you green-haired bitch!" Viper shouted back, grumbling to himself as he began to pull his Green Nargacuga helm on and pick up his bow.

"So, what happened this time?" Wes asked, getting to his feet as Amethyst stood up and followed after her friend, leaving the two alone by the bench. "Was it a comment about what food you like? Last argument was about Moga Cola tasting better than Tanzian Ale, right?"

"No, this time she said that my armor made me look like a bird, something that really made no sense," the golden-eyed archer replied, holding his arms out to either side to show his armor off. "I look more like a frickin' ninja than a bird! Right bud?"

"Well, I can see some 'feathery' traits in the design, but at first glance I'd say you're right."

"Exactly, and first impressions mean everything! Now come on, we're going to the shooting range. I've got a score that needs settling."

* * *

"Fascinating… Truly fascinating!" Joshua exclaimed, scribbling several notes into a small notebook. "The creature's body structure implies it may have been a mutation of a Barroth, but its skin pigmentation is more akin to that of an Aptonoth… Perhaps even a Rhenoplos could have been the original form!"

"So, basically you have no idea what this thing is," Trance mumbled, stifling a yawn. He had been ordered by Balestra to inspect the research the Corps Scientists were conducting on the new beast several hunters had captured a number of weeks earlier. They had kept it heavily sedated to prevent it from awakening, since it apparently housed the ability to fire a beam of concentrated acid capable of destroying the container it was held in. Still, as interesting as the creature was, Trance couldn't help but feel bored watching the white-clad scientists scampering around it taking samples from the body or administering more tranquilizers.

"We have no way to inspect its genetic makeup, unfortunately, so we must make do with what we have available to us," the fiery haired researcher replied quickly, jotting down several more notes. "The last attempt to use such a device ended with both a failure and the detonation of said device. Perhaps I could contact my associate Harker and see if he would be interested in assisting our research, though…"

"With all due respect, I don't want to meet the kind of people you consider 'associates', Sir," the guild officer stated. _He's mad enough as is… I'm almost afraid he has friends crazier than him! _

"Were it not for our intense drives to uncover the unknown, I doubt we would ever make progress in society, my friend. Mayhap we could be seen as 'insane' or 'mad', but if it weren't for this research many lives would be lost to these unknown specimens. This is all indeed quite necessary, and we are the ones capable of meeting the standard we expect of ourselves. Do you understand what I mean, Mr. Trance?"

"…Not really, no. Was it something about you being crazy and not caring?"

"In simplistic terminology, yes."

As the man returned to inspecting the creature and taking notes, another researcher ran over to them, pausing a moment to catch his breath. He held one of the several magma rubies the Master Corps had uncovered over the last few weeks in his grasp, a small bone in his other hand, and seemed rather excited about something.

"Mr. Joshua, we've had a breakthrough! It's incredible- no, it's astounding, it's- it's incredible!"

"Yes, Barkins, what did you find out?" Joshua inquired, curiously.

"Apparently, the rubies exhibit some manner of control over a monster's mind!" he stated excitedly, holding the glowing red orb out before himself. "Lyson, Gorman and I conducted an… uh, an 'accidental' experiment with one of the cage Great Jaggis. While transporting the M.R. across the chamber, Gorman waved it in front of the Jaggi's cage, and a reddish… light came out of it, connecting with the creature's cranium. Afterwards its irises seemed to glow a reddish tint, and it started following Gorman's orders!"

"What do you-? This is astounding- no, it's incredible, it's- it's astounding!" Joshua spurted, completely forgetting his earlier research in the heat of the moment. "What sort of control does it allow?"

"Allow me to demonstrate! Fido, here!"

Barkins held the magma ruby above his head, and a medium sized Great Jaggi stomped over to where the three men were gathered, giving Trance a scare as it neared. It didn't attack any of them, though, instead lowering itself to the ground and wagging its tail expectantly.

"See the bone? Go get it!" The researcher threw the bone across the chamber, which the brightly colored monster quickly ran to retrieve, returning a moment later and dropping the bone to the man's feet.

"You… you used mind control to teach it how to _fetch?_" Trance asked confusedly, keeping a hand on the rapier sheathed at his side. "Are you sure this is safe…?"

"Erm… not particularly, no, but taking risks allows us to make even more progress!" he exclaimed, holding the ruby above his head again excitedly.

A flash of red light suddenly flashed within the orb, though, striking the wyvern's head with a strange beam-like projection. At once the monster roared at the three men, lunging towards Barkins while the man yelped fearfully in surprise.

Trance quickly stepped between the researcher and the Great Jaggi, drawing his sharp, silver-bladed rapier from its sheath and slashing through the monster's head and face repeatedly with almost blinding speed. A moment after dealing the final cut, crimson blood spurted out of the half-dozen cuts crisscrossing the beast's head and it collapsed to the ground, dead.

"Not exactly the 'risk' you wanted to take, I'm guessing," Trance stated wryly, sheathing his sword in its black scabbard. "I don't think these rubies are something we should be messing with…"

"Nonsense! This is an incredible progression in the study of these gems!" Joshua declared, seizing the orb from Barkins' hand to inspect it closer. "Why, this effect is quite similar to a phenomenon exhibited by a group of rogue hunters some twenty years ago! They managed to somehow control a number of creatures through unknown means, even reigning in an Azure Rathalos and a Gigginox! Perhaps this was the way they did so! If not, mayhap it is a similar method of the process…"

"Shall we conduct further tests than?" Barkins asked excitedly. Joshua's confirmation led to the two researchers making their way across the chamber to where several other creatures were penned up, leaving Trance alone in the center of the room.

"…I swear, when something new comes up they act like little kids… I suppose I better report this to Sir Balestra…" he mumbled, heading back towards the elevator leading up to the building proper. "Better see about getting some more guards down here too... These egg heads are going to get themselves killed if one of those things break loose..."

* * *

Frost exhaled slowly as he focused on the wooden dummy set up before himself, leveling his long sword in front of himself with both hands. He stood in small diamond created by it and three other dummies, one on either side of him and the last behind him.

After taking a brief moment to focus, the masked hunter drew his blue-bladed weapon above his head and delivered a powerful stroke clean through his target, cutting it in two parts diagonally with a trail of lightning element. He immediately twisted the blade around in his grasp and stabbed below his arm at the target set up behind him, running it through the head without almost any resistance. Drawing the electric blade from the dummy's body, he dropped onto one knee and slashed upwards, cutting a blue line into the third target, and with a powerful push from his legs threw himself into a wild spinning attack that bisected all four at the same level.

Frost sheathed his blade slowly as the electrically burned wood chunks fell to the ground, buckling the ivory scabbard of his long sword onto the back of his waist.

"That was even faster than last time, Frost! Nice job!" Snow commended, approaching him from the bench she had been resting on after her own go at the practice dummies. "Do you mind helping me set up a couple of the sturdier ones so I can practice my combos?"

Frost wordlessly walked over to the small pile of practice dummies, easily lifting two out from the stack that had crude, heavy metal armor covering the torso and head from the stack. He kicked two of the standing remains of the dummies he had used aside and planted the new ones in their place before clearing away the rest of the debris and throwing it onto the growing junk pile his training had created. He grunted to signify the spot was ready for his sister.

"Thanks, Frost. Okay, here we go…" The short sword wielding huntress took her place before the two dummies, tightly gripping her Barioth-material sword at her side and hoisting her shield up before her. She tapped her foot three times, as if finding her own inner rhythm, and launched herself towards the first target after doing so. With an elegant, dance-like spin she dealt a diagonal slash across the metal plated torso of the dummy, coating the mail with a thin layer of ice from her blade's innate element.

With another graceful twist, Snow cut another thin line into the armor, her blade moving as if it were an extension of herself in a deadly ballet. The huntress followed up by slamming the side of her shield into the dummy's head and bringing her spiked sword down onto its neck, a move that would have ensured any opposition was dead before hitting the ground. Drawing her shield arm back, Snow drove the two pointed spikes on the end of her buckler into the thick plating around the target's stomach, managing to punch through the metal and into the wood below it. With a deal of effort, the huntress wrenched the target out of the ground and threw it aside, freeing her sword and shield in the process.

Knowing there was another dummy immediately to her right, Snow rolled aside as if dodging an imaginary attack, coming to a stop before the target and slashing at its waist while she rose to her feet. Her next move was to bash the target's torso with her shield and twirl around to its side, swinging her spiked sword with enough force to puncture the thick metal covering the dummy and leave the blade lodged within. The white-haired huntress released her grip on the blade's hilt and spun around one last time, driving the back of her heel into the side of the target's armored head with a roundhouse kick, breaking it free from the earth and knocking it to the ground.

"So, how was that? Not too shabby, huh?" Snow asked her brother with a short huff of exhaustion. The long sword user gave a short nod, conveying his acceptance of her performance. The huntress quickly went to the downed target and pulled her sword free from the metal after a few pulls, stumbling back with a short yelp after it came loose. Frost caught her arm and steadied her before she could fall over, though. "Guess I might have swung a little too hard there, huh?"

A commotion from across the training yard drew the twins' attention to a group of four hunters making their way to the shooting range. Two of them, Viper the prankster archer and Emerald the green-haired, hot-headed bow user, were bickering about who knows what. Behind them was Wes, the dual blade wielder with mismatched eyes they had been associating with on a somewhat regular basis, and Amethyst, the quiet, purple haired heavy bowgunner Frost had completely forgotten existed. Wes seemed to be laughing about the bow-users' argument, something that had become a rather common occurrence over the last few months.

"Huh, I wonder what the hubbub is about with them this time," Snow said, sheathing her sword. "Come on, Frost, let's go see what they're up to!" The huntress quickly made her way over to the shooting range, and Frost let out a short sigh before following after his sister, knowing the real reason she was so excited to go see the group. "Hey, Wes! How're you doing?"

The dual blade wielder turned to face the pair as they approached, raising a hand in greeting. "Hey Snow. Hey Frost. You two are just in time to see Viper versus Emerald for the hundredth time," he said, nodding towards the two archers as they lined up at the range.

"I guessed as much. What was it that set her off this time, his haircut?" the huntress asked, trying to remember what the last conflict between the rival bow users had risen from. "Last time it was, what, something about Aptonoth meat?"

"No, I'm pretty sure it was about ale, but to be honest they've been at it so much I don't really think it matters much. Kinda all just melded into one big disagreement, I guess."

"I can understand that… So, how ironic do you think it would be if they ended up together?"

"Geez, it'll be a cold day in hell before these two get to that point!" Wes laughed. "I think she'd be more willing to kick him where the sun doesn't shine than get close to him."

"You wanna make a bet on that?"

"Depends, what're the terms?"

"How about this: if they kiss each other first, you owe me a hundred gold. If she kicks him first, I owe you the same. Deal?"

As soon as she had finished her sentence, Emerald cussed loudly at Viper and began firing arrows off even faster than she had been, while Viper laughed confidently and continued to fire a steady stream of projectiles at the target. The dual blade wielder smirked at the sight before turning back to face the huntress.

"I think I'll take that. So, I saw you both training over with the practice dummies. Nice moves, especially that spin-slash you did, Frost."

The masked hunter grunted and shrugged indifferently, keeping his gaze fixated on Viper and Emerald's 'competition'. In truth, he had been paying close attention to the entire exchange, though he decided it would be best not to get too involved himself, considering his sister's intentions.

"We've been hunting for years, after all," Snow said, far more accepting of the compliment than her brother. "What kind of hunters would we be if we didn't work on our own moves, right?"

"Trust me, I understand perfectly. I'm not sure about the whole 'leave your sword in the body' thing you did before kicking that dummy over, but you kinda impressed me with that last move. The stands for those targets are tough, and you managed to break one with a single kick?"

Snow giggled at the praise, blushing slightly. "Well, I've been told I have nice legs, but that's only because I like to be fast on my feet. So, I work mostly on strengthening them. What do you think?" she asked teasingly, moving part of her robes aside to reveal her black tight-clad thighs. Frost sighed very subtly in irritation, noting that Wes had become a little red in the face upon seeing Snow's toned legs. Despite her basically presenting herself to him, though, Wes didn't seem to try to get too close.

"They're, uh, very nice," Wes replied, a little flustered but doing a fairly decent job at hiding it. He turned away, lost in thought about something, though nothing of the "indecent" nature as far as Frost could tell.

"Something on your mind there, Wes?" Snow asked, abruptly leaning into his view and startling the distracted hunter.

"Geez! Uh, no, it's nothing, don't worry about it. Think those two are almost done?" he asked quickly, motioning towards Viper and Emerald, both of whom were running a low on arrows. It was more of an attempt to change the subject than to actually see what the situation between their contest was, but it seemed to work enough as the white-haired huntress turned back to check up on the archers' status.

"Hmm… looks to me like they're pretty close, but Viper has one more bulls-eye than her. Want to make a bet on who wins?"

"We've already got a standing one, Snow. No need to rush things," he chuckled while shaking his head. "Just curious though, how much were you thinking?"

"We're always betting money on these things, so why not change things up a little?" she asked deviously, a sign that the huntress had a very different idea on her mind.

"Okay…?" he replied cautiously. "Lay it on me, I guess."

"If Emerald manages to pull through and beat Viper, you have to treat me to a nice dinner. That sound good?"

"Eh… What would I get out of it if Viper wins?" he asked slowly.

"Well, what do you want?" she inquired curiously.

"…Is this at all a trick question?" The hunter glanced over nervously at the long sword wielder, who, while standing completely still, was boring into the dual blade wielder with a cold glare below his helm. Frost could tell from Wes' speech alone that the younger hunter was rather inexperienced in regards to dealing with women.

"Just tell me what you want, and I'll decide if it's fair enough, okay?"

"…Alright, I think I'll just take a hundred gold," he said, a decision that seemed to be an attempt to play it safe. "Viper wins, you owe me that much."

"I thought we agreed on not using money this time, Wes."

"Well, I don't really have any better ideas…"

"Okay, fair enough. So if I win you have to take me out on a date!"

"Wait, _what?_ That's not what I-!"

"Hey, Viper!" The huntress shouted loudly enough to break the golden-eyed archer's focus, and he let a surprised yelp out as the arrow he had nocked went flying off in a random direction, embedding itself into the ground several yards behind the target.

"What the hell?! That was my last arrow!" he angrily shouted back, turning to face the giggling short sword wielding huntress. "You made me miss the shot!" The twang of Emerald's bowstring brought his attention back to the range, where the green-haired archer had managed to score one more bulls-eye and put herself a few points ahead of him.

"Hah! _Now_ who's the better archer, asshole?!" the green-eyed huntress exclaimed victoriously, laughing and pointing a finger into Viper's stunned face. "You lose, little snake!" The huntress quickly made her way across the field and began wrenching her arrows free from the target, clearly riding high on her victory.

"So, Wes, when do you plan on taking me out?" Snow inquired slyly, giving him a devious grin.

"I- You cheated! You can't count that!" he replied quickly, hoping to cancel the bet.

"I don't recall us agreeing that we had to be _fair_ about our bets, Wes," the white haired huntress giggled. "I think I'd like some Lagiacrus tail tonight. I hope you know a good place!"

With one last sly grin, she departed for the main building, followed closely by Frost. Emerald and Amethyst soon walked past as well, heading in the same direction. Frost gave one last look back to the two hunters who stood gawking beside each other, realizing that they had basically been played. The pair groaned in unison as it dawned to them what had fully occurred.

"Dammit!"

* * *

"Sapphire, come on! Are you almost ready yet?" Ruby asked impatiently, waiting just inside the blue haired huntress's room. "Sir Balestra said that he finally had a job for us to do today, one where it can be the four of us together again! Aren't you a little excited?"

"Of course I am!" Sapphire replied from the bathroom, having spent quite some time working on her appearance. "I just want to look a little nicer is all!"

"Is this about your crush on Wes? Saph, we're literally going two stories up. You aren't going to see him, so quit wasting time!"

"You don't know that! Every time someone says something won't happen, it does! So keep saying that please!"

"You are completely hopeless…" the red haired hammer wielder sighed. It had been apparent since the first day that Sapphire had taken a liking to the dual blade wielder, something which Emerald had teased her about quite a lot. Ruby had also noted that plenty of the other female members of the Master Corps he hadn't actually worked with before seemed to stare after him as he walked by, a trend Ruby huffed at whenever she saw it occurring.

_If only they knew how self-centered he is…_ _Maybe then they'd stop fawning over him like he's some kind of big shot celebrity! Not like he's anything special anyways…_

"And, done! How do I look?" Sapphire asked, stepping into the main room. Her hair was freshly straightened and shone a fair cobalt blue, but aside from that, Ruby couldn't really see any noticeable differences.

"You're drop dead gorgeous. Now come on, let's get going!" Ruby urged, gesturing to the door.

"Wait, I need to get my armor on first!" she said quickly, ducking back into the bathroom.

"Sapphire…"

"It'll only take a minute, just relax!"

"You said the same thing ten minutes ago!"

"Time flies when you're having fun, right? It's only seemed like a minute to me!"

"Just hurry up! Emerald and Amethyst are probably already waiting for us up there!"

"Actually, we're right here. What's up?" Emerald asked, stepping into the open doorway past the red haired huntress, followed by Amethyst.

"We aren't late, are we…?" the purple eyed huntress asked lazily. "That would really suck…"

"The only person here who's late is Sapphire! Hurry up!"

"Alright, alright, I'm all set!" the blue haired huntress said, stepping out of the washroom wearing most of her Lagombi armor. The helm was tucked below one of her arms, while her shield was strapped to the other. "Sorry I took so long!"

"Didn't seem that long to me," Emerald replied wryly, noting Ruby's irritated demeanor. "You look good though! Trying to show off to our good buddy Wes, huh?" she teased. "I think you and Snow are gonna have a competition to see who can get to him first!"

"Okay, enough of this!" Ruby interjected, clearly unamused with her teammates' antiques. "We need to get to Balestra's office so he can tell us what assignment we'll all be going on, understand? Can we try and act a little more professional for this?"

"What's the rush…? Not like he's going anywhere…" Amethyst pointed out, resting her chin in her palm as she sat down at Sapphire's desk. "I say we all just take five…"

"Agreed, I haven't told you both about how I completely owned Viper earlier in a shoot off! It was awesome!" Emerald exclaimed, still riding high off of her victory. "If only you all could've seen his face!"

"Oh, you saw Viper earlier? Was Wes with him?!" Sapphire asked excitedly. "What was he doing, what was he up to, tell me tell me tell me-"

"EVERYONE JUST SHUT UP!" Ruby shouted over the other girls, silencing the entire room. "We have a job to get to, and we are going to find out what it is so we can do it and prove that _we _are the best, _understand?"_ The others silently glanced at each other and back at the red-eyed huntress, as if they all knew something she didn't. "…What?"

Emerald snickered a little and pointed past her, leading Ruby to turn around to see what she was gesturing towards. The huntress froze in a flustered rage as Wes stared into the room the Gem Sisters were gathered in from across the hall, a rather confused expression on his face.

"Oh, hey Wes!" Sapphire called, making herself visible in the doorway and waving to him from her room.

"Eh… hey, Saph… I'm, uh, I'm just gonna… go in here for a while… Try to keep the cat fights to a minimum, would ya?" he replied, opening the door to his room and stepping inside quickly, shutting it just as fast.

"See? I was right! We did see him!"

"…Let's just go…" Ruby sighed, heading out the door.

* * *

"I never thought there'd be a day off where I would wish I had an assignment…" Wes groaned, falling back on his bed. "Even if I am a bit tired, I think I'd rather chance getting injured than going out on a date right now…"

One of Wes' best kept secrets was that he had never actually gone on a single date before. It wasn't that he wasn't interested- far from it, in fact- but he'd spent so much of his time focusing on his training that the only knowledge he had about 'romance' was what he had gleaned from fictional stories he spent some of his free time reading. Essentially, all he knew was that woman liked being rescued from castles by knights in shining armor, and he had no idea when he'd ever get a chance like that, considering there weren't exactly any princesses in the country.

It wasn't like he didn't notice the occasional looks he gained from the opposite gender, either. He could at least tell when women found him attractive by the slight gleam in their eyes and the longing expressions they gained as he passed, but none of them had ever actually attempted to make an advance, and his own naivety on the subject prevented him from doing the same.

At least, no one had approached him before Snow and Sapphire. They had been particularly forward with their advances, despite occasionally masquerading them as simple teasing and jokes. Wes' only real defense to their advances was to attempt to change the subject after a flustered, awkward reply, which only worked maybe twice.

Further thinking on how miserable his situation was led to him recalling that his mother was partially to blame. When he was younger, she had made one-hundred percent clear that if he ever engaged in anything… _intimate _with one of his female friends from back in Moga, she'd ensure he had to take full responsibility. After a long lecture on the subject (and some deep mental scarring), Wes deduced that he really shouldn't take any chances whatsoever.

While the thought of just skipping out had occurred to him as well, Wes had taken to an early age to be a man of his word, sometimes even to a fault. He also didn't want to chance harming his friendship with either of the huntresses, though now it seemed like he was in an extremely delicate situation. Not only did he have absolutely zero experience with women beyond simple friendship, he was now supposed to take one on a date that had an extremely protective twin brother.

_Frost once out-muscled a Stygian Zinogre to protect her, the same one that we could barely come close to killing! And that was physical danger… There's no telling what he'd do to me if I made her sad! Judging how he took down those practice dummies earlier, it wouldn't be pretty…_

The blue- and green-eyed hunter groaned to himself as he pushed himself back up, anxiously scratching at the scar over his right cheekbone as he wraked his brain for a plan of action. The thin cut he had received from his fight with that thug Varon a few months back had eventually scabbed over, though Wes' own tendency to pick at them had led to the formation of the scar. As he did so, though, something clicked in his mind.

"Wait a sec… Don't women like strong guys? Maybe if I won a fight with someone at the tavern it'd make things easier for me! Okay, so… I think it'd be easier to pick a fight with someone who's drunk, so I'll want to find a table nearby some hunters who have a few tankards down already…" Before Wes could take his absurd plan too far, though, he remembered that after the tavern fight before he'd had to book it to escape from several pursuing Guild officers for disrupting the peace. Getting tangled up in legal affairs didn't make a fight seem worth it to impress a girl.

"Maybe if I went all out on an expensive meal she'd be impressed with my wealth…" he mumbled. But then he remembered his fathers stories about all the random gifts he had to buy for his mother when they were younger because she played off his kindness. Wes really didn't want that happening to him...

"Okay, so money's out of the question too… Maybe if I came off as really well educated, she'd think I'm smarter than the average guy?" Still, even this idea didn't seem like a good one after further thought. All he could think about was how he had managed to learn an impressive amount about all the various weapons and armors hunters used, from the inner workings of a gunlance to the strange reasons why hammers required whetstones to work properly. He didn't want to come off as an egg head either...

"Geez, I might be great at hunting, but I'm a complete loser when it comes to social interactions with women…" he groaned, pacing back and forth apprehensively. "All I know about her is that she wants Lagiacrus tail, and that she lived in the Tundra. Damn, I am screwed…"

For the next half hour or so, Wes paced restlessly about trying to figure out what way to come off as less of an idiot, though his anxiety prevented him from putting a proper plan together. With an exhausted sigh, he fell face first onto his mattress, groaning irately at the fact that he was getting so worked up over something that by all rights shouldn't be such a big deal.

A few raps on his door led to him releasing another sigh, feeling too conflicted to answer it. "Door's open," he called out, letting his face fall back into the sheets as he heard the door creak open.

"Erm… Is this a bad time?" Wes recognized that the voice belonged to the Corps officer, Trance. He'd regularly been the one who gathered the hunters Balestra sent out on assignments, which Wes realized might be his ticket out of this whole affair. He rolled over quickly to face the brown haired man and sat up.

"No, it's fine," Wes lied. "What's up? Is there a job for me?"

"Yes, Sir Balestra sent his apologies for calling upon you during one of your days off, but you were the only hunter with one of the skill sets needed for this assignment," Trance replied, removing his hat and setting it on Wes' table before seating himself. "He called me to work on _my _day off too, so trust me, I can understand if you're irritated-"

"Not at all," the hunter replied almost enthusiastically, relief washing over him. Looks like luck was on his side after all! "What kind of job is it?"

"I think it's another expedition, but in all honesty I didn't really read the report over…" the officer mumbled, scratching the side of his head. "That's what he usually assigns for you, at least. I think I remembered seeing it was near the Flooded Forest region, though."

"Guess it's because I can get to most places others can't. Did he say who else was going to be on this job?"

"You were the last one I had to get, actually. You'll meet the others up there. Are you all set to go, or do you need to grab a few things first?"

"Yeah, just give me a minute," Wes replied, going over to his equipment chest.

_Let's see here… I could use another rope dart, but I'm down to three, so I'll need to be careful with it. An air filter would come in handy too, so best grab one of those… Bah, not a philter, a filter! There we go... Got a couple smoke bombs and some throwing knives, so I should be all set with this!_

"Alright, I'm good," the blue- and green-eyed hunter stated, placing everything into his pouch and strapping it shut. "And Trance, just between you and me, you're a life saver."

"I am?" the officer inquired confusedly with a raised eyebrow. "What did I do?"

"Just… got me out of something I really didn't want to do." Trance attempted to glean more info, but Wes insisted they get going as soon as possible, not intending to stick around for too much longer.

_Whew… maybe next time I'm at the market I can find a book on dating advice or something… This could've ended awfully._

* * *

"Good of you to join us, Mr. Wes," Balestra stated, pushing himself up from his desk as the dual blade wielder entered the room with Trance. The hunter took his place next to the third member of the group gathered there while the officer took a seat at a table next to the wall.

"Kept you waiting, eh?" Wes asked, a very subtle hint of sarcasm in his tone. Balestra narrowed his eyes at the hunter, but didn't reply to the question as he gazed at the other hunters assembled there.

"To begin, I would like to personally apologize for assembling those of you who were not expecting to have an assignment today. The situation called for your experience, though, so there was little choice in the matter. Now, as for what the assignment is, I believe Mr. Trance has informed you all that you will be embarking on an expedition in the Flooded Forest."

"Yeah, but why is this so important that I had to get dragged into it?" the middle hunter grumbled, prompting Wes to glance over to see who it was. To his surprise, it was one of the two hunters he had brawled with on the journey to Loc Lac before they had arrived and Ishmael's older brother, Curt. The Lagiacrus-clad great sword wielder's displeasure at having been called in for the job was apparent from his expression alone.

"Your expertise with explosives was necessary for potentially clearing out any debris within the ruin," Balestra elaborated monotonously before turning to face the rest of the group. "We have been led to believe that this particular ruin is far more dangerous than any previous ones uncovered. As such, I expect you all to take all the extra precautions necessary to ensure each other's' survival."

"How dangerous are we talking?" the first huntress, a brown-haired light bowgunner in Wroggi armor asked. Her particular get up left very little to the imagination, leading Wes to wonder how it protected her vitals at all, considering her midriff, upper arms, and inner legs were mostly unguarded.

"As far as we have been able to find out, there are numerous traps still functioning within the structure. The ones who entered first reported trip wires and arrow traps that were in the first hall alone. You all had best be careful, Ms. Tara."

"A veritable temple of doom, huh…" the last hunter, a long sword user dressed in G-Rank Sand Barioth materials mumbled. Wes couldn't tell what the man's features were below the helm he wore, though his stature, armor, and weapon choice reminded the dual blade wielder eerily of Frost. "Any word on if there are monsters in the region?"

"A report of an exceedingly large Duramboros was filed this week, though its exact location is unknown. Mr. Arroyo, your target is the ruin, not the beast. You are only to engage the creature if it directly interferes with your team's attempt to enter the ruin, understood?"

"How many artifacts are we looking at for recovery?" Wes asked before the long sword wielder, Arroyo, could speak up again. "I'm guessing there's another magma ruby in there?"

"From what we have been able to glean from its structure, yes, it is believed that there is a ruby located within. Aside from it, any objects pertaining to the culture of the civilization who constructed the ruin would be an important find. I trust that you will be able to find a sufficient amount of antiques within, Mr. Wes. So, your assignment is to investigate the forest ruins and recover the objects of interest from within. I trust you all will return safely, so with that, I bid you good day."

Knowing that Balestra's use of that phrase meant he was through with the briefing, the hunters began to depart. Curt intentionally shoved past Wes as he stomped out of the room, anger and irritation at both Wes' presence and his own off time being taken practically seething out of him. Arroyo and Tara likewise made their way out the door, but Wes spared one glance back at the Corps Head, who had currently reseated himself at his desk and picked up a report to read through.

_I get the feeling there's more to this job than he's letting on… _the hunter thought to himself, taking note of both how abruptly this assignment had come up and how swiftly Balestra had replied to their interjections. _Usually he talks for way longer… _

"Mr. Wes, I do believe your teammates will have to wait for you if you insist on tarrying any longer," the crimson eyed man said, not looking up from his file. His eerily calm demeanor still led Wes to raising an eyebrow at the man, but the hunter knew that it would be smarter to ask once he had returned.

_Don't need to be pissing of Curt… Chances are he and I will be at it throughout this entire mission anyways… _

With a short sigh, Wes departed from the office, making his way down to the ground floor using the stairs; the elevator's frequent breakdowns prevented him from actually taking advantage of the faster option in favor of habitual staircase use. As he rounded the stairs on the fourth floor, though, he walked straight into a certain white haired huntress standing outside of the door nearest to the stairs.

"Wes? Wow, you're that eager for tonight, huh?" Snow teased, shutting the door she had just come out of. Wes barely spared a glance inside in time to see a tall figure with white hair moving out of sight.

"Uh… I hate to say it, but, well, Balestra kinda… called me for a job…" Wes admitted nervously, looking aside and scratching at his cheekbone scar. "I guess dinner's off… right…?"

"What? On your day off?" the huntress asked disbelievingly. "Why would he call for you today?"

"He said something about there being no available hunters with the proper skillset..."

"Well, darn… Guess I'll just have to wait for you to come back to uphold your end of the deal then!" she said enthusiastically.

_Shit… _"Uh, sure, Snow, absolutely. I've gotta get going now, for the, uh, job, so I'll see you when I get back," he said quickly, giving a short wave and briskly walking past the huntress to continue his downward descent.

"Okay, good luck! Come back safe!" she replied, giving him a warm smile and a quick wave as he passed by. As soon as he was out of sight, Wes let out a long breath he'd been holding during the entire exchange, relieved that the conversation had actually gone smoothly.

_I'm seriously gonna need some help with this…_

* * *

"Sir, am I dismissed?" Trance asked tiredly, noting the setting sun outside the Corps Heads window. "I've had to work several rather unexpected shifts as of late…"

"Not quite yet, Mr. Trance. You've had yet to relate your findings in the research lab." Balestra set down the file he had been reading through and sat up, staring straight at the officer with his crimson eyes.

"Ah, right… Would I be dismissed after this then?"

"Yes. You may have tomorrow off as well. Mr. Corrin should be out of the recovery ward by then." Trance shuddered a little, recalling how only a month ago a failed experiment in the labs had led to his friend's hand getting blasted off. The 'Miracle Doctor' known as Connor had been able to provide him with a prosthetic one only a few days after stopping the bleeding, but the shock from the injury had convinced the foreign doctor that the man should not get back to work so soon. Thus, Corrin had remained in a cozy hospital bed all month while Trance had to pick up his duties.

"Might I suggest recruiting or promoting another person to the same position as me and Corrin? I do appreciate that he was elevated to Information Processing, but two people for a job involving most of the Corps is-"

"Mr. Trance, I asked you for the report you compiled on your findings with Mr. Joshua, not your suggestions to make your work easier."

"Ah, r-right, my apologies… In regards to the mystery creature, the scientists have been unable to determine what it was before mutating, though they have some theories. Joshua suggested contacting an associate to assist in researching it, someone by the name of… Harker, if I recall correctly."

"Do go on."

"They've also decided on a code name for the creature until it can be properly identified. For now, it will be referred to as 'Gear Rex'. Personally, I don't quite understand the reason behind the name…"

"It matters little."

"I suppose… Sir Joshua also told me in passing that the creature's tolerance to the tranquilizers is increasing, and eventually it may become immune to them altogether. He suggested it _not _be inside the lab when that happens, else the damage it could cause would be catastrophic. I'd like to propose we set aside a few guards, maybe even some hunters in case things go... _bad._"

"Very well… Next time you are to meet with him, get an estimate on how much time remains until this happens. Did they discover anything else?"

"Something very… peculiar about the magma rubies," Trance replied, not entirely sure about what had occurred himself. "One of the researchers said that apparently the stones had the capability of... 'brainwashing' a monster."

"…Brainwashing? Mr. Trance, if you are making an attempt at humor-"

"Sir, I saw it firsthand. He held one of the rubies out and ordered a Great Jaggi to go fetch a bone. And it _worked. _I mean, they don't fully understand what happened… at all… but I can at least confirm that it did happen."

Balestra's flat expression betrayed none of his thoughts to the officer, who stood awkwardly waiting for his superior's response. All Trance could tell was that the crimson-eyed man didn't seem very surprised by the news, though Trance also knew that absolutely nothing ever _had _surprised Balestra the entire time he'd been working for the Corps. Either he already knew about this, or he was just exceptionally good at hiding his emotions. Trance found the latter to be the more likely -and sensible- reason.

"…I will think on this. Mr. Trance, you are dismissed," Balestra said after a long pause. "I expect to see you back here the morning after tomorrow. Good day to you."

The officer blinked twice in surprise, not having expected that to be the man's reaction. "Erm… Sir, are you certain there's nothing else you-"

"I said good day, Mr. Trance."

* * *

"Gah, sonuva-! How the hell did I lose that?!" Viper angrily shouted, punching the wall of his room.

It had been only about an hour since his shoot off with Emerald, and he had taken the loss rather badly. It wasn't that he had lost the competition itself, though. When it got down to it, Viper considered himself a graceful loser, accepting when he lost fairly. This time, though, he _knew _he should've won, but Snow suddenly breaking his focus when she had threw off his aim completely.

"I missed the whole frickin' target! I should've been able to hit that with both eyes closed, god dammit! I swear, if Ms. Ice Princess thought she could talk up a storm, I'm gonna chew her ear off next time I see her!"

He and Wes had both been completely in shock by that particular event, though Viper knew it was for different reasons. The dual blade wielder had explained that he had gotten roped into a bet with the huntress, but realized too late that she had tricked him into taking her out on a date if she won. This also meant, unfortunately for him, that Snow had apparently been willing to cheat to win, resulting in Viper's despicable shot.

That was what bothered the archer the most, though. Not that he had lost, and not that Snow had been the reason for it, but that he had missed the target.

_Missing a monster is one thing; they react and dodge! Missing a stationary target at a set distance, even if I'm distracted, that's unforgivable! Dammit dammit dammit! I swore I would never miss again after… Bah, this is all their fault!_

Before he could go put a hole in the wall, though, there was a few light knocks on his door that broke Viper out of his tirade. Still grumbling to himself, the golden-eyed archer answered it, surprised to see the familiar face of Ishmael.

"Hey, how's it goin?"

"Ishmael? Damn, I haven't talked to you in… How long has it been? Four weeks?"

"Actually, five, but close enough. Mind if I come in?"

"Eh… sure, I guess," Viper replied, moving out of the way to allow the Gigginox clad hunter to enter. "What's up? I didn't know you were one to make house calls."

"I'm usually not, but… well, considering I could hear you from the stairwell, I figured I might pop in for a chat," Ishmael elaborated, taking a seat at Viper's cluttered writing desk. The archer found himself a little embarrassed at the realization that Ishmael had heard his ranting, considering the thick walls and the fact that his room was the furthest from the stairs on his floor.

"Ah, so… You heard that?"

"Yup."

"How much?"

"Pretty much all of it, considering you were saying the same thing for a half hour straight. I also heard from a couple friends out at the training yard that the reason for all the ranting and raving was because you lost to Emerald in a shooting contest. Just wondering, why's that getting you so worked up?"

"It's not that I lost the frickin'-! Bah, sure, fine, I'm pissed because I lost, happy?"

"You went back on yourself there. Sure it isn't something else?"

"Okay, fine, it's because I got cheated out of the win. Happy?" Viper asked, frustrated with the hunter's persistent questions.

"I think there's a bit more to it than that," Ishmael stated. "I think that you aren't mad at losing, or being jipped out of a win, but that you're angry because of _how _you lost."

"…Ain't that the same thing as the second one?"

"Not the way I'm thinking, no. You're mad about missing the target."

"How did you- What?" Viper was utterly stunned; how did he manage to guess that? "…I know I never said a thing about that aloud. How did you know that?"

"You could say I'm good at reading between the lines…"

"Don't get cryptic on me, else I'll clock you."

"…Okay, well, for one, the way you were acting about picking up that last arrow before was a dead giveaway. No one would consider cussing to the sky and snapping it in half to be 'normal'. Then, you focused most of your mouthing off towards losing, not once touching on how you broke the arrow. That made me think you were trying to hide the real reason not only from others, but maybe even yourself. And, the real topper to this all was you confirming it yourself."

The hooded hunter's deduction only served to further confound Viper, who shook his head as if he couldn't believe what he had just heard. "Alright, if anything, what I did and said should have made you think that was all there was to it. How the hell did you come up with that?"

"Like I said, I'm good at reading between the lines. The way I see it, there's usually a bit more to something that you'd assume at first glance. So tell me, why does missing a shot seem to hit your berserk button?"

"Because, it- no, I just prefer not to miss when I could have easily hit my mark."

"You went back on yourself again."

"Goddammit, what do you want from me? It's like I'm facing the frickin' inquisition all of a sudden!"

"Did something happen before that made you never want to miss again? Something important? Maybe… something you could've prevented?"

"…We're done talking," Viper hissed, pointing towards the door. _I've had it with this guy's questions… He asks another one, I'm gonna break something…_

"Alright, well, I can tell I must've hit a nerve," Ishmael said quickly, getting to his feet. "All I want to say is that I can tell you've got a lot on your mind, but that even if you need help with it you should try and talk to someone about it first. You've been kinda easy to anger at the touch of a hair over a few random things, so I'm trying to save someone else the trouble of a fight."

The golden-eyed archer only motioned towards the door with his head, nonverbally ordering the Gigginox-clad hunter to leave. With no further comment, Ishmael did just that, and Viper shut the door loudly behind him as soon as the brown-eyed man was clear of the doorframe.

"Bloody hell that was close… No one needs to know why, only that I _always_ hit my mark… Dad, you'd better be watching me, cause next time, I won't miss."

* * *

**_Author Notes: _**_Whew, first major time skip! __When I first started brainstorming for Master Corps, I decided I'd want to split it up into "arcs" with distinct themes between them that are the central focus of each. Right now we're just out of the arc "Foundation", though I won't reveal the name of the one we're in now until we're mostly through it, so as to avoid spoilers. The one reveal I will make is that I intend for every arc to end in "-tion", mostly because I think it sounds nice. _

_Hey, first time I've had more than one paragraph in my notes! So, who all has seen the trailers for Assassin's Creed Unity? I think it might be my single most anticipated game of this year, just from the trailer and gameplay videos alone. So, to hype myself further I've taken to replaying some of the older AC games to see just how different Unity will be from them. And because there really aren't any other games I feel like playing aside from Monster Hunter... But that's beside the point. I'm also glad to see that Nintendo finally decided to remake Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire! Hopefully Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire will live up to their origins and be even better._

_Well, I suppose I've reached the end of my notes, so I'll just end here. Thanks for reading, and let me know what you thought in the reviews! Until next time, my faithful readers!_

**_Playing:_**_Assassin's Creed: Revelations, MH3U_

**_Watching:_**_Assassin's Creed Unity Trailers (Over and over again...)_

**_Listening to:_**_Avenged Sevenfold, The Offspring_

**_Reading: _**_The Lost Civilization: DLC by dashboardgecko, any news at all on good upcoming games_


	9. When it Rains

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated. _**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 9- When it Rains…

Wes was the first to touch down on the soaked earth of the Flooded Forest after detaching his parachute about twenty feet from the ground to fall the remaining distance. The blue- and green-eyed hunter pulled his hood up over his head as the huntress Tara landed beside him.

"Did you see where the other two went after that gust blew us apart?" she asked, pulling off her pack and dropping it to the ground.

"No, I was more concerned with fixing myself after that happened. I think I slammed into Curt when we all got knocked around," he replied, massaging his sore arm. "Really wasn't expecting to get split up like that…"

"Me neither," Tara said, unstrapping her bowgun and loading several rounds into it. "They'd better make it to the temple alright without us. I don't think we have a way of finding where they are in this jungle."

"We'll just have to see," Wes replied, gazing around the small clearing they were in.

Wes was actually surprised that it wasn't raining as it always had in this area. The sun had dipped below the horizon some time ago, leaving nothing but the starry expanse of the night sky above them, the light from the stars and moon providing adequate lighting for them to see. There were only two paths they could take from there: north, towards the stone pyramid-like ruin just barely poking out above the treetops, or south, into more uncharted areas yet to be opened to normal hunters.

"Guess we'd better get a move on, huh?" the Wroggi-garbed huntress asked, finishing up on checking all the parts of her weapon before slinging it across her back. "Lead the way."

"Alright, but stay close. There's no telling how dark it could get farther in. You got a compass or anything with you? We'll need to know which way we're heading."

"Yeah, right here," she said, flipping open a small box. Confirming it actually worked, the pair headed north, with Wes taking point while Tara followed a few feet behind him.

"I'm surprised you've got one that works out here," the dual blade wielder commented. "I thought there was a defect in them that made the older models flip out around excessive moisture."

"It still does," the huntress replied with a short sigh. "I tried waterproofing it before, but that barely did anything. I guess it works now because there isn't any rain."

"Kinda weird being out in the Flooded Forest when there isn't any of the 'flooding' going on, huh?"

"Tell me about it… I think this is a once in a lifetime deal, actually. So, you said your name was Wes, yeah?"

"The one and only," he replied, flashing a confident grin back to the huntress. "It's Tara, right?"

"Yeah. I've heard from a lot of my friends that you're quite the looker."

_Good lord, not this again… _"Oh, uh, really now?" he replied awkwardly, trying not to sound too flustered at the mention. "And, erm, what exactly do they say…?"

"…I can tell you really aren't that good with women," Tara pointed out, chuckling to herself.

"Eh… I'm not particularly the best, no," Wes admitted, feeling that Tara wasn't trying to come onto him. "Is there a reason you just brought that up outta the blue?"

"Well, we're gonna be walking for a while. Why not break the ice?"

"That's how you 'break the ice'?"

"Yeah. You got a problem with it?"

"Not really, just kinda seemed weird is all…"

"Look, if I'm going to be diving head first into a temple filled with traps and who knows what else, I might as well know a little bit about the people watching my back," the light-bowgun wielder explained, ducking below a low branch. "That just seemed like the best thing to start with."

"Out of all the things you could've brought up, you decide to target my expertise with women?" the blue- and green-eyed hunter asked as he drew a sword to cut through the thicker branches and vines impeding their progress.

"If I hadn't, we wouldn't be having this _wonderful _conversation right now."

"Why not talk about the job, or the Master Corps, or something less… personal?"

"Because the personal stuff is much more entertaining to listen to. So, tell me, you ever take a girl out before?"

"If you're just going to turn around and start telling this to all of your huntress girlfriends-"

"Alright, I'll just assume no. What do you look for in a woman?"

"I don't really look for anything, but-"

"Okay, you're into a girl's appearance then. What do you think makes a girl happy?"

"Eh… flowers…?"

"…You are absolutely _hopeless_, you know that?"

"What did I ever do to you?" Wes asked, cutting down several thick vines with his greyish-blue sword.

"Nothing. It's just that every little detail I squeeze out of you is one more thing I can get money for."

"Wait, wait… You're _selling _this info to your friends? Why…?"

"It's profitable. The crowd I hang around with wants to know everything about you, whether it's true or not. So, have you ever had a crush on someone before?"

"I think I'm done answering these questions…"

"Okay, so I'll take that as a yes."

A loud stomping noise ahead of them brought the pair and their conversation to a halt. Wes motioned for the huntress to get down and follow him, inching through the underbrush towards the source of the sound. Taking cover in a thick shrub, Wes and Tara peered out into another large clearing and spied an immense brute wyvern felling an enormous tree with its large horns.

"Is that a Duramboros?" Wes whispered, in awe at the size of the moss covered beast before them. "I've never seen one that big before…"

"It would probably be best if we avoided a fight with this thing, big shot," Tara mumbled, though she kept her hand at the ready to draw her bowgun if necessary. "I doubt those toothpicks of yours could do much damage to it, and my gun doesn't use flame shot."

"What're you calling toothpicks?!" the hunter scoffed, his voice raising a little. "These are probably some of the best swords around! I could cut a Great Jaggi in half down the middle if I tried!"

"Wes, you might want to-"

"Okay, I've known you for barely ten minutes and all you've done in that time is ask for my name, insult my skills with women, and call my weapons 'toothpicks'! The least you could do is try and act friendly-!"

A loud, angered roar pierced their eardrums before the two could argue further, forcing both hunters to clamp their hands over their ears to blot it out. Wes recovered first, glancing up just in time to see the giant moss-covered brute wyvern charging straight towards them.

"Shit! Get outta the way!" he shouted, pulling the huntress to her feet and throwing both her and himself out of the way of the charging Duramboros. They just barely managed to avoid being run down, the brute wyvern completely demolishing the large growth they had been using for cover and several large trees behind it in the process.

"I wasn't saying your weapons sucked, I was saying that compared to that thing they wouldn't be very effective!" Tara shouted, shoving him back and getting to her feet. "And now look what you did!"

"Now's not the time to talk about that..." Wes said, backing away from the beast slowly as it turned to face them.

Now that he was this close to it, he knew he'd never seen a Duramboros bigger than this one. It absolutely towered above the pair, standing almost thirty meters tall. The simple act of it moving slightly caused its tail to completely demolish a thick tree behind it, toppling part of the forest without the brute even seeming to notice. Puffs of white smoke exhumed from its back, signaling it was already enraged.

_I hate to say it, but she's right… Against something this enormous the only way I could hurt it is by hitting its back… and those humps might as well be unreachable right now!_

"Okay then, what do you propose we do to get out of this mess, Mr. Hot Shot?"

"…I say we run like hell."

* * *

"Damn branches… Won't keep me up here for long," Arroyo muttered, drawing his carving knife and cutting at the straps above his head.

Upon getting separated from the others, the red-robed long sword user had found himself plummeting towards a particularly dense canopy of trees, and his parachute had gotten caught near the top, leaving him dangling some forty feet above the ground. Still, being as tenacious as he was, the hunter wasn't about to hang around waiting for help. He had mostly cut himself loose already, and with the snapping of the last few straps he found himself plummeting to the ground below.

He fell the first twenty feet or so before catching a particularly thick branch, whipping around it once and flinging himself towards a long vine hanging down from one of the nearby trees. Grabbing hold, Arroyo slid the remaining distance down the vine, allowing him to land without any injury.

"This is why I prefer the desert," he said to himself, gazing around the dark woods around him. "You can actually see things at night, and there aren't any trees to get in the way…"

Having been blown far off course from the rest of the group, the last thing the masked hunter had seen before getting caught in the branches was the large stone structure to the east, presumably the ruins he and the others had been asked to investigate. Arroyo could actually see the pyramid-like building down the only visible path towards it, despite it probably being almost a mile away, but this was due to the fact that his 'path' was a long line of broken down trees and trampled shrubs.

"Guess that Duramboros came through here… It must be enormous if it could do this much damage. Heh, can't wait to find this beastie myself…"

The long sword user excitedly made his way down the unnatural path, weaving through the broken trees and fallen forest debris as he did so. He had barely been walking for ten minutes when a loud, echoing roar of a Duramboros sounded from off in the distance. He grinned beneath his helmet as he pressed on, eager to find the giant brute wyvern.

* * *

"Oh _shit!" _

Curt fumbled with the parachute strings to try and detach the cloth sail from his pack, seeing the massive stone wall of the ruin rapidly approaching him. Or rather, he was approaching _it. _Having slammed into Wes on the way down from the airship due to a sudden powerful gust of wind, the great sword wielder had plummeted farther north than his companions in a half-conscious daze, not realizing until he was nearing the ruin that a full on impact could prove disastrous to him.

He'd had the time to pull the chute after recovering, but not soon enough to slow him down much. He was currently gliding towards the old pyramid structure at a speed far too fast to be safe. With one last tug, though, the parachute detached from his pack, allowing Curt to fall towards the stone platform some ten feet below.

Unfortunately, not fast enough. The hunter barely managed to let out a fearful shout as he slammed into the solid stone wall of the pyramid, his G-level Lagiacrus armor barely managing to absorb the impact and saving him from any broken bones. He stuck to the wall for a few moments before falling away onto the ground a few feet below, landing with a loud thud and the sound of metal scraping against stone. The impact itself had been enough to cause the great sword wielder to black out, and he lay still for several minutes as he fluttered in and out of consciousness.

A loud roar from across the forest snapped him back into reality though, and the great sword wielder shook his head to reorient himself before getting to his feet.

"What the hell was that?" he grumbled to himself, grimacing as pain coursed throughout his body. "Sounded like a Duramboros… Bah, I don't get paid enough for this shit. I'll leave it to one of those idiots and just check out this temple so I can find what we need and get the hell out of this forest…"

Curt pulled a potion out and downed the contents of the jar before smashing it in his armored hand, going on his way to find the entrance to the gigantic pyramid he was standing on. However, not ten minutes later he finally reached the corner of the building and gawked at how far away the supposed 'entrance' was.

"Just how big is this frickin' temple? Didn't these people have better things to do than go around building giant temples n' shit?"

With an irritated sigh, he made his way across the surface of the temple, hearing the occasional roars of a Duramboros and the crashing of heavy trees as some unseen battle raged in the distance. Not particularly interested in whatever or whoever the creature was fighting, Curt eventually made it to the entrance to the pyramid, a large square-shaped opening in the side of the wall with a large staircase leading up to it. Inside, a few torches blazed, seemingly lit by those who first discovered the ruin.

Before the hunter could take a single step inside, though, he heard another thunderous crashing noise behind him. He looked over his shoulder tensely, spotting a large… thing heading straight towards him. He thought he could hear a pair of panicked shouts as well, each growing louder as time went on.

"You barely did anything at all!"

"That was _before _it smashed the entire goddamn forest to the ground! Did you want to stick around for that?!"

"You went to all the trouble of pissing it off to run away!"

"I'm not running, I'm finding a more tactical position!"

"You are an idiot!"

"At least I'm smart enough to know when to run!"

"So you admit it?!"

"Shut the hell up already!"

_What the hell am I listening to… _Curt thought, groaning as the voices and the crashing of trees began to grow closer. He glanced into the ruin, noting that the entrance was only large enough to fit a medium-sized Aptonoth at the most. _Whatever those morons are bringing here shouldn't be able to get me while I'm in here, at least… Hah, suckers…_

The great sword wielder watched as Wes and Tara broke through the trees surrounding the ruins, sprinting full speed towards the structure before them. Curt didn't try to hide his amusement at the sight at all, letting out a long, hearty laugh at their frightened expressions.

"What, did something scare you both so much that you had to try and run home?!" he taunted, again letting out a laugh. His enjoyment of their predicament ended almost immediately when the 'something' came crashing into the clearing after them. "HOLY SHIT!"

"Curt! Move outta the way!" Tara shouted up to him, not slowing her pace at all. "We're comin' through!"

Wes turned quickly and threw a round object behind him, directly towards the charging creature's head. The object detonated on impact, releasing a large cloud of white smoke that enveloped the area behind them and obscured the Duramboros from view. The mossy beast roared in surprise as its visibility was clouded by the smoke bomb.

"That'll buy us a little time, hopefully!" the dual blade wielder shouted, glancing at the dozen stairs leading up to the entrance. "That should be all we need!"

"Don't speak too soon!" Tara replied, taking a quick glance back. "It's still running towards us!"

"What the hell?! I blocked its vision!"

"That doesn't mean it forgot how to move forwards, nimrod!"

"Just run!"

The hunters leapt up the staircase, taking two steps at a time in order to escape the giant wyvern pursuing them. Curt had stood in shock at the Duramboros' size the whole time, only snapping out of it when he realized Tara and Wes had already run past and entered the ruins behind him. Without another thought, he sprinted into the tunnel as well, leaping inside just as the brute wyvern bore down on them and smashed its horns into the opening.

Wes and Tara were both a few yards inside, catching their breaths as the exhaustion from their frantic run finally caught up to them. Curt scrambled away from the Duramboros' head as a deep rumble from the skull-like mouth of the creature blocking the entrance reverberated inside the hallway. With a frustrated growl, it pulled its head away from the opening, causing rocks and stones shattered by its charge to collapse across the entrance, sealing them all within.

"Well, shit…" Wes mumbled, taking a seat on the smooth stone floor. "There goes our way out. There'll probably be another entrance at the end of the ruin, but there's no turning back now…"

"Curt, did Arroyo go in ahead of you?" Tara asked, also seating herself to try and recover her energy from the chase. "I didn't see him with you when we… _arrived."_

"Arroyo? I haven't seen the crazy bastard since we all got blown apart!" the great sword user grunted, folding his arms irately. "I thought he'd be with you two, but I guess I was wrong!"

"Then… where is he?"

* * *

Arroyo grinned madly under his helmet, seeing the enormous brute wyvern ramming its body into the front of the ruin. It seemed like it was trying to get inside, though it was having little success, only cracking or breaking stones occasionally. Reaching over his shoulder, the masked hunter grasped the wire-wrapped handle of his Silver Rathalos long sword, drawing the pale blade slowly to prolong the metallic noise of the blade leaving its sheath.

The droning sound eventually gained the attention of the giant brute wyvern, which turned to face the red-robed hunter, forgetting all about its previous targets as soon as it caught sight of him. Fully pulling the blade free from its scaled sheath, Arroyo ran his hand across its fine, glowing silver blade, feeling the heat it emitted from its innate fire element. His own abilities only bolstered the fiery blade's power, and as he finished tracing his hand across the sword a slight lick of fire flashed between the tip and his open palm.

Letting out a long, almost insane laugh, Arroyo leveled the silver blade at his quarry as the Duramboros roared at him, not flinching at all from the sound.

"Come on, show me a good time!"

* * *

"Well, hopefully he'll be smart and stay away from that thing," Tara said, getting to her feet. "I swear, you men are all complete idiots…"

"Just give it a rest already, geez…" Wes mumbled, having already gotten up. He had been inspecting the hard grey walls for any clues or traps, though he saw none after a close inspection.

"What the hell is your problem, Tara?" Curt sneered. "Seems like someone's got an issue with guys."

"No, it's that so far everyone on this job has proven themselves incapable of making a single smart decision that lead to a positive outcome. Look at where we are now: missing a teammate, stuck inside an ancient temple, and most importantly, no idea how we're going to get out but to travel even farther into the unknown. Thanks, Wes."

"Hey, at least we aren't dead," he replied wryly. "As far as I know, I'm stuck in here with a rather irritable woman and a guy who has no fighting ability whatsoever. How do you think I feel about all this?"

"What the hell do you mean, 'no fighting ability'?! I outta trounce you right now, you little punk!"

"I seem to recall you saying something similar to that _before _I wiped the floor with you, Curt."

"You little son of a-!"

"Both of you just can it already!" Tara screamed, her voice echoing down the torch lit hallway. "You two have got to be the most immature people I have ever met!"

"Yeah, you're one to talk, Ms. Perfect. You're the one who's been insulting everyone constantly, you know."

"Perhaps if _someone _didn't give me so much to find faults in, I wouldn't!"

"You didn't seem to need any faults in anyone when you said that 'all guys are idiots'!"

"Okay, you know what? Both of you, shut the hell up, and follow me," Wes stated exasperatedly, walking down the hallway further into the ruins. "We won't get anywhere standing around yelling at each other, and I sure as hell don't want to spend all eternity bickering with you two!"

"Bah, fine…" Tara reluctantly agreed, following after the dual blade wielder with a huff. Curt grunted in irritation as well, following after the pair as they made their way farther into the pyramid. Wes kept a careful eye out for anything that might signify an unwanted surprise for the group, recalling what Balestra had informed them of.

_What the hell was he thinking, teaming us up? This definitely isn't exactly what I'd envision a 'perfect team' being… Tara seems to hate all guys, Curt gets irritated by the slightest thing, and Arroyo… I don't even know what he's like, considering he isn't even here! _

The blue- and green-eyed hunter sighed to himself and shook his head, wondering how he'd ever make it through this temple with these two. In doing so, though, he walked right past something he would've easily picked out otherwise: a moderate-sized square tile protruding from the floor by about a centimeter. While he had managed to unknowingly walk past the tile, Curt stomped the protrusion angrily as he and Tara continued arguing over who knew what. A large thud from behind the group silenced the two hunters' bickering, and a low rumbling noise began to grow in volume from where they came from.

"…What was that…?" Tara asked cautiously, squinting a little to try and see farther. "It looks like something's… There's a giant boulder coming this way!"

"Aw shit, run!" Wes shouted. The three immediately began sprinting as fast as they could, shouting panicked curses at each other or at the large stone bearing down on them. Despite how far back it had started from, the boulder was gaining on the group fast, and began to look like it might overtake them in a few meters.

Fortunately, Wes spied a small alcove broken into the side of the wall, hopefully big enough for the three of them to fit into.

"Tara, Curt! In here!" he shouted, ducking into the opening and pulling the two startled hunters in with him. He acted not a moment too soon. The giant rock pursuing them barreled past them almost as soon as they got out of the way, and Wes felt a rush of wind within the small crack they hid in as it did.

"Wes, get your hand off my chest," Tara growled threateningly, causing the hunter to immediately retract his hand from the position it had ended up in. The alcove was too cramped to move much, so Curt had to leave first to allow Tara and Wes out. After a pair of irritated glares from the two, the great sword user finally moved, chuckling to himself about the situation.

"You know, Wes, if you're gonna make a move, the middle of an ancient temple seems like a great place," he wryly commented, laughing to himself even more.

"Just shut up and keep moving…" Tara grumbled, shoving past the pair and walking down a hallway branching off to the right. Wes followed after while Curt again took the back, not seeming to intend to let the joke go that easily if his random fits of chuckling were any sign.

"Just sayin', if you wanted to teach her a lesson…"

"Curt, shut up, or I'll cut your lips off and shove them down your throat," Wes replied, reaching the end of his patience. The hunter's tone seemed serious enough to the great sword user that he actually did quiet down, which Wes had been hoping for, though he could still hear Curt grumble occasionally about how terrible his luck was.

"We've been walking for a half hour and we haven't found jack shit," the Lagiacrus clad hunter grumbled after the group had continued exploring several winding passages for a good while.

"Your constant complaining isn't helping, you know," Tara snapped, turning her head to face the man. "Maybe you ought to pay more attention to this place so you don't trigger anymore traps!"

"Tara, wait!" Wes shouted, noticing the slight flicker of a trip wire across the floor in front of the huntress. It was too late, though, as the bowgunner's boot easily snapped the wire as she passed by with a subtle _twing_. Wes glanced up and noticed several small holes lining both of the walls to their sides, and threw himself at the huntress as wooden darts began to shoot out of the indents.

Curt was far back enough that he was able to simply stop walking to avoid the barrage of projectiles. Wes, however, had managed to tackle Tara down below the lowest level of indents, keeping them both safe from the darts launching above them. After a moment passed, though, Wes noticed a slight pain on the back of his hand; one of the darts had struck him, burying itself slightly into his flesh, but not enough to cause any real damage. He plucked it out as the rest of the projectiles ceased firing above them, allowing the pair to get to their feet.

"I would've been just fine on my own, thank you very much," Tara huffed, brushing herself off and taking a few steps forwards. Wes went to follow, but a sudden wave of exhaustion seemed to sweep over him, causing him to fall to his hands and knees.

"Huh? What's your problem, punk? Get a splinter?" Curt asked dryly, not giving the hunter a second thought as he walked by. Wes shook his head once before forcing himself back up to his feet, though his stance was far from balanced.

"Whoa, watch it!" Tara yelped as Wes stumbled past, catching himself on the wall next to her. "What's wrong with you?"

"I… I think those darts had… some kinda tranquilizer in 'em…" he weakly stated, fighting off the urge to pass out right there. "Come… come on, let's keep moving…" He took two more wobbly steps before dropping to one knee, causing Tara to go to his side and lift him up, pulling his arm over her shoulder and walking with him.

"Alright, just take it easy, you idiot…"

"Why the hell should we take him with us?" the great sword user asked. "He'll just slow us down as long as he's all doped up on this shit!"

"I don't leave people behind, you jackass," the Wroggi clad huntress replied, dragging Wes along with her further into the ruin. The entire time Wes had to fight off the urge to sleep, blinking repeatedly and shaking his head every so often as his perception of time began to slow. Whatever toxin coated those darts must have been incredibly potent, considering one had almost rendered him unconscious after only a few seconds.

After only about twenty meters or so, the group came to a larger rectangular room, not differing much from the rest of the grey stone hallways in anything other than size, but Tara decided it would be best for them to rest their until Wes was able to move on his own.

"We… we shouldn't stop…" he weakly protested, trying to push himself up again, though Tara was easily able to keep him down.

"Just sit down and shut up, Wes. You aren't getting anywhere like this." Her words seemed distant and hazy due to the drug, but it only served to irritate the dual blade wielder more.

_Least she could do is thank me… she'd be way worse off if I hadn't gotten her out of the way…_

Curt, meanwhile, was occupying himself by lazily looking at one of the pillars supporting the room. "Bloody hell, I can't understand how anyone could find this 'interesting'… It's a freakin' rock!"

"News flash, most of the buildings in Loc Lac are made of stone, Curt," Tara wryly stated, checking her bowgun for any damage done to it. "I'm going to see what's farther ahead down the path, keep an eye on blondie here in case he tries to move."

_Goddammit…_

"Yeah, fine, whatever," Curt replied, taking a seat nearby the downed hunter and pulling a ration out of his pouch. "Haven't eaten in a few hours anyways…" Wes hungrily eyed the meal as the great sword user began to wolf it down in front of him, wishing he could move more so he could at least get some of his own food out. Curt noticed the look after a moment and proceeded to taunt the dual blade wielder with the empty container.

"These things might taste like crap, but I'll bet _you _would've loved a bite or two, eh?"

"Screw… Off…"

Curt let out a hearty, insulting laugh at Wes' state, chucking the empty metallic container across the room out of pure spite. It clattered about noisily, rebounding off of one of the pillars before coming to a rest in the center of the chamber. As it did, though, there was a barely noticeable _click,_ and a foreboding groan sounded from the ceiling above, and several cracks began to split in the grey stones.

"What the hell…?"

"Curt, get Wes out of there!" Tara shouted from across the chamber. "I think the whole roof is gonna come down on us!"

The great sword user glanced down at the still-incapacitated dual sword wielder, who was struggling to push himself up. With an irritated sigh Curt hoisted Wes over his shoulder and began to run towards Tara and the safety the hallway's stable roof provided. Large chunks of the ceiling had already begun to fall from above, smashing into the hard ground below as Curt rushed to avoid them. One of the pillars collapsed in front of them as well, forcing the great sword wielder to toss Wes over before climbing over the fallen pillar himself. Picking up the hunter again, he made one final beeline for the exit.

Unfortunately, he didn't quite make it. A large chunk of a column broke off to his side, sending a large jagged rock into the side of Curt's leg. His pained shout was nothing short of agonizing to hear, the damage the stone inflicted having broken his knee and forced him to fall to the ground.

"Dammit, Curt, hold on!" Tara shouted, starting towards the injured hunter.

However, Curt let out a second pained groan as another part of the ceiling smashed down on his good leg, pinning him. The great sword user glanced at Wes, still draped over his shoulder, as the dual sword user continued to fight off the effects of the tranquilizer. With an agonized groan, Curt grabbed Wes by the collar and hoisted him up, bringing the dual blade wielder's face level with his.

"Wes, you are a god damn son of a bitch. Now get the fuck out of here."

With all the strength he could muster, Curt threw Wes' limp body through the air towards Tara, who yelped in surprise as she caught him, getting knocked back into the hallway. She barely looked up in time to see the rest of the roof cave in on the trapped great sword user, who gave one last sneer at her before disappearing beneath the rubble.

"Curt! Dammit, no!" she shouted, horror filling her voice. "Dammit, why did he do that?! You damn _idiot!_"

Wes wearily glanced back past the huntress as she continued screaming at the rubble of the room they had just been in, though the words were becoming distant rings by then. Despite his considerably weakened state and blurring vision though, he could still make out the figures of two figures approaching from behind them, one of which brandished a wooden club.

"T… Tara…"

"What the hell do you want, you idiot?! If it wasn't for you playing hero, that wouldn't have happened!"

"Be… hind you…"

The huntress barely managed to turn as the man's club slammed across her face, knocking her out cold. Wes found that he had no strength left at all, finally succumbing to the drug as he felt himself being dragged away…

* * *

Arroyo chuckled to himself as he backed away from the injured brute wyvern, surveying all the damage caused by his intense battle with the Duramboros. The hunter had thrown himself against the creature with reckless abandon, allowing his instincts to take over completely, and the beast was now covered in a myriad of cuts and burns inflicted by the long sword user's silver blade. The number and severity of the wounds he had been able to inflict on the massive creature was impressive in and of itself.

Several deep gashes lined its thick legs, preventing the wyvern from properly keeping its balance. The red robed hunter had tripped up the Duramboros a couple times as well, giving him the chance to severely wound the humps on its back, revealing pale pink skin below. The large tailcase that once covered its tail had also been broken off, rendering the hammer-like protrusion a less effective appendage without its head. The sturdy horns on either side of its head were also broken: the left horn was broken at the halfway point, while the right was missing just the tip.

The Duramboros huffed in exhaustion, its many wounds and burns dramatically reducing its former ferocity. Arroyo, meanwhile, had managed to escape any severe injuries, though he wasn't without his own wounds. The constant slamming of the creature's tail had kicked up sharp splinters and rocks, some of which had struck the hunter. The long sword user had also gotten caught by surprise by a sudden swing of the beast's tail, which sent him flying into a tree and had likely broken a few ribs.

Still though, the masked hunter kept up the fierce, sadistic grin beneath his helmet, not feeling a hint of exhaustion. He tightened his grip on his pale long sword and let out a crazed laugh, beginning to twirl the blade in one hand. The air around him seemed to waver from the intense heat his sword was building up, actually scorching the grass around him into a dry circle. Arroyo planted the tip of the blade into the ground, kicking up a few sparks as he did so.

"Alright, breaks over. _Ready for some more?" _the hunter asked, his grin widening even further.

Without a second thought, the masked hunter charged at the Duramboros, dragging his sword through the ground towards it. The pale blade seemed to catch the very earth on fire, scorching the grassy soil and evaporating the moisture within into a thick cloud of steam. He brought the blade up as he neared, kicking up a great wall of flames that seemed to envelop his sword as he slashed upwards towards the brute wyvern's head.

"Let's turn up the heat!"

* * *

Wes groaned a little as he awoke, opening his eyes slowly to reorient himself to the brightness of the torch in the room. Feeling how cramped his muscles were, he moved to stretch them. He didn't get very far though, feeling something tugging at his wrists behind his back and his ankles in front of him. Still half asleep, he barely registered ropes binding his limbs together.

Wait, ropes? The blue- and green-eyed hunter shook himself awake, feeling the last dregs of the tranquilizer wear off. _Where am I?_

Gazing around the room, Wes could tell it was far different than the dull grey of the maze-like halls he had been wandering about before. Most of the stone walls were an earthly brown, colored with faded stripes of red, blue, and green. It was a small chamber as well, the ceiling reaching only three meters high, while the walls were spaced about five meters apart. The ground was made from the same grey stone as the other sections, but appeared less ancient than the walls and ceiling.

_Hold on... Last I remember was the roof caving in, and Curt calling me an asshole... Then there were those figures, and- wait, Tara! Where's she at?_

A quiet groan behind him incited the dual blade wielder to turn around, seeing the bowgunner slowly awaken as well. She was bound in the same way he was, and had a noticeable welt forming on the left side of her head, but she looked no worse for wear aside from that.

"Welcome to the world of the living," Wes said with a hint of sarcasm, pulling at his bindings. "Enjoy your nap?"

"Where... Where are we?"

"Hell if I know, I just came to. Probably farther in the pyramid, but that's just a guess."

"Hang on... Where's Kyri?" Tara asked, looking around the chamber.

"Kyri? Who the hell is Kyri?" Wes asked, glancing about as well. "There's no one on our team named that."

"No, my bowgun, you idiot!"she scoffed, tirelessly searching around. "Someone must've taken her!"

"You... _named_ your gun."

"Oh, like the thought never crossed _your_ mind too."

Wes glanced over his shoulder, realizing that his dual blades were missing as well. _Whoever captured us must've taken them somewhere... I'm missing my pouch too, so there go my knives, smoke bombs, and rope dart... But I'll bet I know one thing they did miss!_

He felt the familiar metal compartments strapped to his wrists, grinning as he confirmed their captors had indeed failed to take the retractable blades. Extending one of them, he easily sliced through the ropes binding his hands before doing the same for his legs.

"What the- how did you get out?" Tara gawked, seeing the hunter rise to his feet.

"Quiet down," he mumbled, kneeling behind her and cutting the bowgunner's bindings as well. "Lets just say I had a couple tricks hidden up my sleeves."

"Trick or not, it came in handy. Where do we go from here?"

"I say we find our weapons and equipment, find the ruby, and get the hell out of here," the hunter proposed.

"What about the people who tied us up? We oughta go let 'em have it! No one touches Kyri and gets away with it!"

"We don't need to bother ourselves with them, wherever they are. But they must've taken Curt somewhere with them too, so you might have a point..."

"Curt? Wes, he died in the collapse!" Tara stated in a shocked tone. "He threw you out of the room and got crushed! Don't you remember?"

"W-what?! Why did he-?" Wes was at a complete loss for words. He slowly recalled how they had made it through the maze after he had gotten struck by the sleep dart, eventually remembering the collapse and Curt getting his legs trapped beneath the debris.

_Wes, you are a god damn son of a bitch. Now get the fuck out of here._

_That was the last thing he said... Damn, I didn't know a hard ass like him would've been capable of a move like that... If he hated me so much, why did he throw me out of the way?_

"There's nothing we can do about it now," Tara sighed. "We're on our own now."

"...Alright, we need to get our stuff back before we can do anything," Wes said after a moment, glancing over to the entrance on the other side of the chamber. _She's right…There'll be time to grieve over that jerk ass later… We've gotta get to safety._

"For once, I agree with you."

The pair made their way towards the framed exit, pressing themselves against either side of the frame as a pair of voices sounded down the hall. Wes peered around the corner as much as he could without revealing too much of himself, spying down the hall and listening to the voices.

"...I'm tellin' ya, we should jus' book it now that we got th' chance! There's no way th' boss man will wanna share whateva' treasure is buried here, if'n there's any at all!"

"I'm not saying we _shouldn't_, I'm saying we should take those two with us! If we bargained with the Guild, maybe we could get outta this mess we're in now."

"I doubt any of 'em would be willin' to go that far for us, Bryce. I say we stab 'im in the back and just run. He's gonna get us killed in here! And if there's treasure like he's sayin', maybe we'll find it 'fore we get out! That's why we's stopped, ain't it?"

"But what if there actually is something here that could get us all out of this? Those two we captured were hunters, which means the Guild must've sent them especially to check this place out. We're way out of the hunting grounds now, so that's the only explanation."

"Maybe, maybe not. All I know is that ever since he decided t' go rob that guy in Overgrow, we've been on th' run. Four years I've been scamperin' around these goddamn woods, an' I'm sick of it! Sick of eatin' old berries an' mushrooms all the time!"

"Kreff, I'm telling you, this'll work just fine. No one'll need to die, we'll get a clean slate, and we can move on with our lives."

"Alright, alright, fine. Lets just grab 'em and run 'fore the others wake up."

_Overgrow? Didn't Viper say he was from there?__ Could... Could these be the same guys who murdered his dad...? _Wes thought to himself, hearing a pair of footsteps drawing closer to their position.

"Wes, pay attention!" Tara whispered across to him, snapping him back into focus. "I'll get the guy on the right, you take the other one."

"Alright, but... don't kill them," he replied quietly, leaning away from the opening as the footsteps drew near.

As the two figures entered the chamber, the hunters leapt upon them, taking them by complete surprise. Wes punched the first man across the face before kneeing him in the gut, winding the unarmored thug. Wes grabbed the stunned man's shoulder and the back of his head, throwing him face first into the hard stone wall and knocking him out.

Tara had less luck than Wes did, though, and was currently latched onto the back of a much larger, more powerful man than Wes' target. She was trying to choke the man out, though he flipped her off his back and onto the floor, winding the huntress.

"Little bitch...! I need some help down here! These brats esca-!"

Wes didn't allow him to finish his sentence, driving his fist directly into the thug's throat, causing him to sputter his words in pain as he clutched at his neck. The hunter followed up by kicking his leg into the man's side, grabbing his arm and neck, and slamming him full force into the ground, rendering the thug unconscious.

"I could've handled him!" Tara quietly defended as she got to her feet. "I had everything under control, you-!"

"Idiot, yeah I know," Wes answered, cutting the bowgunner off. "We can argue after we're done getting out of here!"

"Ugh, fine! Lets get a move on already! Chances are these guys had friends, and I don't want to stick around to meet them."

The two quietly made their way down the hall the two thugs had come from, entering into a larger rectangular chamber, though it was surprisingly dark around the perimeter of the room. Most of the torches had been moved to the center of the chamber to act as a light source for a small camp made up of six single-man tents.

_Six tents, six people... They outnumber us two to one now, and between the two of us I'm probably the only one who can fight them... Best not alert them to our presence._

Wes motioned for Tara to follow him, crouching low to the ground and slinking into the shadows surrounding the camp. He saw two people standing guard by the fire discussing something. The hunter crept up behind a stack of boxes on the camp's edge to listen in, concealed by the shadows. Tara moved behind another stack not far from his, also hidden from view.

"I'm telling you, I heard something. We ought to go check it out, see if Bryce and Kreff are alright."

"Those hunters were tied up just fine. There's no way they could've escaped without some kind of tool or weapon. We threw their gear into Bryce's tent, if you want to make sure."

_Perfect, at least we know where our gear is now... _Wes thought, seeing which tent the second man pointed to.

"I don't care. I know I heard something, so if you want to come along, feel free to. I'll be back in a minute."

_Shit, if he finds those two they'll know we escaped and he might get them back up! Gotta take care of this one too..._

Wes waited until the man walked out of the fire light and into the darkness before jumping the thug, wrapping his head in a sleeper hold and choking him out. The man resisted a little, but Wes' grip was strong, and not a few moments later the hunter was propping his unconscious body up on the crates he had hid behind.

_Okay, that leaves three..._ Wes thought, nodding at the huntress from across the space between them. She was much closer to the tent than he was, so Tara moved to the small shelter their things were in, disappearing behind the flap.

_Come on... Hurry up..._ Wes thought, watching the shelter intently. A movement from off to the side drew his attention, and the hunter watched as two more figures walked into view, the larger of whom wore a thick Bullfango pelt like a cape.

"Where are the others?" the caped man, the leader by the looks of it, asked. "Those nimrods should've been back by now."

"Joro just went back to check on 'em. Should be back any second."

"Good... Gyro, go look through their things to see if there's anything of particular value between them aside from the weapons."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll get right on it, boss..." the third figure replied, making towards the tent Tara was still inside.

_Dammit, she's no match for them_, Wes cursed. Without a second thought he broke from his cover and sprinted into the camp, swinging his arm at the surprised man's neck and dropping him with a clothesline. The second man ran to attack as well, but Wes tripped him up with a sweep kick and rolled to his feet, standing between the tent and the three thugs.

"Tara, get out, now!" The huntress scrambled out of the tent carrying all of his equipment, handing him his pouch first and then his swords, which he quickly returned to the straps on his back.

"Little bastards," the caped man spat, cracking his knuckles. "How did you get out of there?! Bah, doesn't matter now. Maybe this time you'll learn to stay asleep!" The man drew an old looking saber from his belt while his compatriots pulled blunt wooden clubs out.

"We don't want any trouble," Wes negotiated, keeping himself at the ready in case one of them decided to attack. "Just let us go, and we won't make this hard for you."

"Fat chance of that, kid! We're close to the treasure now, and I'm not gonna let one of you spill the beans on our one chance at freedom!"

"You want freedom, so you take people hostage?" Tara asked as if to accentuate the hypocrisy in the thug's statement. "You guys are criminals!"

"Maybe so, but that doesn't mean we're gonna stay that way for long! Are you two gonna act like good little kids now, or are we gonna have to get rough with you?"

"Tara, they have torches set up around the path leading to the end of the pyramid," Wes said, keeping his gaze fixated on the armed thugs before them. "I saw them when I was behind the crates. Go find the ruby and a way out, and I'll be there in a minute."

"Are you crazy?!" she exclaimed. "It's three on one here, Wes. I'm going to-"

"Tara, the only damage you can do is with your gun, and we are _not_ going to kill these guys," he said firmly, getting into a fighting stance. "Go!"

With a frustrated huff the bowgunner turned and sprinted towards the torch lit hallway behind him, leaving Wes to fight the remaining thugs himself.

"Pretty brave move, kid. Too bad this ain't a fairy tale. The only happy ending here is gonna be me beating you senseless and becoming a free man!"

"We aren't even close to the end of the book," Wes replied with a taunting gesture. "Come on, you've all got weapons; you should have the advantage, right?"

The first man charged at the hunter brandishing his thin club above his head. As he brought the weapon down, Wes blocked the man's arm and countered with a punch to his jaw. Grabbing the handle of the club, he slammed his shoulder into the thug's chest and wrenched it free from the man's grasp. With a quick spin the hunter slammed the club across his face, knocking the man down with one swing.

The second man likewise rushed the hunter, slamming his club across Wes' back. The sturdy black leather vest blunted the impact immensely, though he still grunted in pain and stumbled forward from the blow. Recovering quickly, he blocked another swing from the armed thug with his repossessed club, swinging at the man in retaliation. The thug managed to deflect Wes' strike and tried to counter, but the dual blade wielder blocked his attempt and drove his shin into the man's crotch, causing him to yelp in pain. With a strong upwards swing, Wes slammed his club into the man's chin, knocking him flat onto his back.

A slight whistling sign prompted Wes to roll away from his position, coming to a stop and facing the third, caped man. "Slippery little bastard... Hold still!" He charged at the hunter, swiping his sharp blade at Wes repeatedly. Wes dodged the first two swings and ducked below a third, blocking the fourth swing with his wooden bludgeon. The sharp metal cut into the wood almost halfway, though it managed to keep Wes from receiving a grievous slash to the neck.

Pushing the man back, Wes rushed him with his club, swinging it towards the leader's gut. The Bullfango caped man easily stopped the strike with his sword, knocking the bludgeon aside and swinging at Wes again. The blue- and green-eyed hunter brought his weapon up to block, but the sharp steel finally broke through the club, leaving Wes with a short stick as a weapon.

The hunter flipped back to avoid another swing of the man's sword, chucking the remains of his club at the thug's forehead. The man slashed the thrown object away before rushing at Wes again, grinning maniacally as he did so. Wes waited until his blade just began to whistle towards him before extending one if his wrist blades, stopping the steel sword with his concealed dagger.

Spinning about quickly, Wes extended his other blade and slashed the man's wrist, grabbed his sword and kicked him in the gut, disarming him of the saber. The thug let out a pained grunt as he stumbled back, clutching at his now-bleeding wrist and looking at the hunter angrily.

Wes, though at a clear advantage now with the weapon in his grasp, fit the blade diagonally between his foot and the ground and stepped on it, bending the steel blade horribly out of shape and rendering it useless. With a condescending look, Wes tossed the blade behind him, getting to a combat ready stance as the thug bandaged his wrist with a piece of cloth he had torn from his sleeve.

"Goddamn little punk! I'm gonna kill you!" he shouted angrily. He turned to his two downed companions, angrily kicking at the groaning men on the ground. "Get up you lazy pieces of shit! We aren't done with this kid yet!"

The blue- and green-eyed hunter backed up slowly seeing both thugs rise to their feet, grumbling between each other and getting into dazed fighting stances.

"You guys are barely worth my time," Wes mocked, despite his own growing exhaustion. _Damn tranq must still be in my system... I'd better finish them off quick, else one of 'em might land a lucky shot… _

The Bullfango caped man's lackeys circled around to either side of Wes, surrounding him in a triangle formation. The hunter glanced between the three, ready to counter any of them that came near him. The man off to his right moved first, rushing at him and making as if to throw a punch. Wes easily saw the move coming, though, knocking the blow aside with his forearm and stomping on the thug's ankle, dropping him to his knees. The blue- and green-eyed hunter finished the man off by bringing his knee up, slamming it into the downed criminal's face and knocking him back, unconscious.

In the time he had spent fighting the first man, though, Wes failed to notice the second sneak up behind him, gasping in surprise as the man put him into a headlock to hold him down. The leader of the group laughed to himself and approached the struggling hunter, who was trying to pry the other man's arms off his neck.

"I'm gonna enjoy this…" The man cracked his knuckles before driving his fist into Wes' gut, winding the hunter from the impact. His armor softened the blows the Bullfango pelted man began to repeatedly throw, though the sheer number of times the hunter found a fist thrown into his abdomen caused him no small amount of pain. He took a few blows to the face as well, where his hood couldn't do as much to block the impact. After the tenth punch, the man stepped back and laughed as Wes huffed in pain and exhaustion, bleeding from a small gash over the bridge of his nose. "Had enough yet?"

"Like that hurt…" the hunter replied with a short cough. "Lemme show you how it's done." Wes drove his head back into the thug who had been holding him, smashing the back of his skull into the man's face and knocking him back. He yelped in surprise as Wes broke his hold on him, and the hunter made sure to knock the man out with a solid blow to the side of the head. Before the other man could react, Wes closed the distance between them and caught him under the jaw with an uppercut, causing the caped man to stumble back with a pained grunt.

The hunter continued his counter by kicking the back of the stunned man's leg to throw him off balance, grabbing the criminal leader's arm and beginning to punch him repeatedly in the side. Once, twice, three times Wes counted, all the way up to ten swings into the side of the man's torso before the hunter released him from his grip. Wes finished the man off with a high roundhouse kick to the side of his head, flooring the man for good.

"You have the right to remain silent," Wes mumbled, turning his back on the group of downed thugs as he began to make his way towards the tunnel Tara ran into some time before.

Before he could make it far, though, Wes heard a few heavy footsteps behind him, turning just in time to see the Bullfango pelted man charging at him. The hunter attempted to dodge, but couldn't evade the criminal leader's charge and found himself tackled to the ground with the thug's hands clamped firmly around his neck.

"Thought I was out there, didn't you, you little bastard?" he sneered, continuing to choke the hunter. "After all that, I don't give a damn about using you as a bargaining chip; I just want you dead! I've spent four years trying to get out of this mess, and I am not going to let my efforts go to waste because of some bratty half pint like you!"

The lack of air Wes could breathe began to affect him, causing stars to start flying about his increasingly hazy vision. _Gotta… get this bastard… offa me… _Wes tried pushing against him, but the man's heavy weight and Wes' failing strength made any effort useless. The hunter glanced over at his wrist, and in a moment of panic he extended the blade...

... and drove it straight into the man's eye.

* * *

_Agh! My eye! Ah, you little bastard, you killed me!_

_You… It was you or me. I didn't want to do that…!_

_And yet that didn't stop you from doing what you had to survive, now did it?! Maybe now you'll get where I'm coming from! Four years I've had to live on the run, avoiding the law that would have me imprisoned or killed for trying to better my lot in this world!_

_You tried to better your lot by taking from someone else's…! You killed and cheated your way there, and you got what was coming to you in the end. I… I tried to give you a second chance, but you just had to keep fighting! Why wouldn't you just listen?!_

_I was trying to survive, kid, just like you were. A cornered beast will fight back harder than anything else. I've been cornered for all this time, and I fully intended to break free… I never meant for that kid's father to get killed. I panicked after his brat shot an arrow at me and my knife slipped into his ribs… What I did may not have been right, but when you're forced to live like a fucking pig, you want better for yourself. I wanted a taste of something better. I guess I got what I wanted… Now I can be free. But you… you've never taken a life before, have you?_

_I… You forced me to…_

_Hahah… I wonder how long you'll remember this moment… I've killed more than a dozen men in my time, but I still remember the first most fondly… Let this experience be a chain on your heart. You will NEVER get over this. You'll always wonder if there could've been another way… The only way to lift this curse is to harden your heart, punk. Think you have what it takes to become a killer?_

_I'm not a killer…! You're wrong about this! I won't ever be like you, you bastard!_

_Heh… I guess you'll just have to wait and see…_

* * *

Wes gasped in shock as he pulled his blade free from the man's eye, watching in a stunned silence as his corpse collapsed to the ground next to him. The hunter immediately dragged himself away from the fallen criminal, hyperventilating and curling up into a fetal position as the horror of what he'd just done washed over him.

_I… I just killed someone… I killed someone…! Why, why why why?! Why wouldn't he just stay down?! This is… Oh god, what have I done…? He was a criminal, but… he was a person, just like me! What right do I have taking his life?! God dammit… Dammit dammit dammit! I shouldn't have done that! I could have done something… Anything else that would've been better than that!_

The hunter shakily looked down at his hand, still coated in the fallen man's blood. With a fearful yelp he swung his hand about to try and flick the crimson liquid off, wiping it on the floor in an attempt to remove the substance from his palm.

_His blood is on my hands… I'll never be able to fix this… Dammit, WHY?!_

"Wes! Hey, where are you?!" Tara shouted, entering the chamber he had fought the thugs in. She eyed him on the floor and ran over to him, kneeling over to check up on him. "What the hell are you doing just sitting around here? We need to get a move on, you idiot! Wait… is this… blood…?"

The bowgunner eyed the bloody handprint on the floor, glancing at Wes' stunned expression and over at the fallen body of the Bullfango pelted man, a small pool of blood forming around his head.

"You… did you…?"

"I… I didn't have a choice…" Wes replied in shock. "No, I… I did, just… I made the wrong one…"

"Wes. Wes! Get a hold of yourself, you idiot! So what if you killed him?! This guy was no better than garbage!"

"He was still a person, Tara…"

"Person or no, he was a despicable being that didn't deserve any better," the huntress stated, grabbing Wes' black leather vest and pulling him onto his feet. She grabbed his arm and started to pull him towards the way she had come in from. "I found the ruby and an exit a ways up ahead. It wasn't that far, but there are a few trap triggers between here and there. I'll point them out to you, just try not to break down on me, would you?"

"…I know what he was thinking as he died…" Wes mumbled, letting himself be pulled along. "It's like I could… _hear _what he was thinking, and I could talk with him… It was just… I don't know, it-"

"Wes, shut the hell up already!" the huntress shouted, cutting him off. "He was nothing but a lowlife scumbag! If anything, you just did the world a favor by offing him! Now get over it already, and come on!"

"If you were in my shoes, would you just 'get over it'?"

The huntress was silent for a few moments after that, as if the question had struck a target in her heart. "…Let's just keep moving…"

The pair continued to walk through the tunnel until reaching the chamber that once housed the ruby now safely in Tara's possession, avoiding the various triggers to traps along the way that the bowgunner had picked out on her first trek inside. They didn't stop there, though, making their way into another tunnel with wave-like walls and a gritty floor that lead in a steady incline upwards towards the night sky.

"There… we finally made it out," the huntress sighed in relief, seeing the exit ahead of them. "It may not have been the _best _outcome, but at least we made it, huh?"

Hardly a second after she said that, the quiet sliding of a depressed tile sounded below her, leading her to glance down in shock at the switch she had just triggered. At once, the torches in the hall lit up, revealing the 'waves' in the walls were actually giant barrels, and that the gritty substance on the ground was gunpowder. A slight fuse burned right next to the pair, swiftly burning towards a small gap in the wall. It didn't take either of them another second to realize what the final trap was.

"_RUN!" _Wes shouted, breaking out of his shock and replacing it with the fear of death.

The pair quickly rushed towards the exit of the tunnel, with Tara taking the lead and Wes trailing only about a meter behind. A loud blast behind them signified that the first bomb had detonated, which meant that more were to follow in only a few seconds. The drumbeat of explosions behind them only urged the hunters to run faster, and Tara managed to reach the end of the tunnel and duck over to the side, out of the path of the explosion.

Wes pushed himself as hard as he could those last few feet, but found himself swept off his feet by a massive wave of heat and a huge shock that blasted him clear out of the mouth of the tunnel, sending the hunter flying through the air towards a large lake below. The intense heat from the blast still coursed through his body as he plummeted towards the murky water below, feeling as though his whole body was on fire. The last thing Wes felt before blacking out was the gentle fall of rain above him and the cold rush of water slamming into him.

* * *

**_Author Notes: _**_This chapter __was quite fun to write, I'm not gonna lie. Having one main group to focus on_ _was a nice change of pace, considering how wild everything can get between the main characters and there different going-ons. Fortunately, this can all be explained by it being the middle of the night and everyone else being asleep! Hooray for convenient timing of events! Tara and Arroyo were both pretty much created on the spot for this one, but they'll also appear somewhere down the line. Probably my favorite part of this chapter was writing Wes and Tara's dialogue, though the most significant part was Wes fight with the bandit leader. Let me know what your favorite parts were if you choose to review (please review)! Until next time!_

**_Playing: _**_Assassin's Creed: Freedom Cry_

**_Watching:_**_ Lone Survivor_

**_Listening to: _**_Assassin's Creed: Freedom Cry soundtrack_

**_Reading:_**_The Lost Civilization: DLC, The Alchemist_


	10. Upturn

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 10- Upturn

Wes slowly blinked his eyes open, realizing he was lying in a soft bed. With a pained groan he sat up, stretching the soreness out of his body. Glancing down, he realized that part of his chest and upper left arm were bound tightly with fresh bandages, as well as a small cut across the bridge of his nose covered with a white tape.

_Where am I...? Is this the medical ward?_ he thought, gazing around the white walled, wood floored room.

A table was set up beside his bed with some papers strewn about it, accompanied by a small wooden chair with a clean white shirt hanging off the back. To his right, bright sunlight flooded the room from a medium sized window, through which Wes could see the Master Corps HQ building.

A couple light knocks on the door incited the hunter to look over to the corner, where the door of the small room slowly creaked open to reveal familiar face of Snow.

"Oh, you're awake! How're you feeling, Wes?" she asked cheerfully, stepping into the room. She must've just returned from a job, as she was fully dressed in her G-Rank Barioth robes.

"I'm fine, just a little beat up," he replied, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "How long was I out...?"

"Three days, actually."

"_Three days?"_

"Yeah, you had us worried! Tara told me about the job when you all got back... I'm sorry about Curt."

"He... I guess he wasn't such a bad guy after all, even if he was an asshole about everything," the hunter remarked, beginning to recall what had transpired three days before. "What about that Arroyo guy? I didn't see him almost at all."

"Tara said he fished you out of the lake after finishing off the Duramboros. I don't really like him, though..."

"Wait wait wait, he finished it off? _Alone_?!"

"Yeah... Tara told me you could hardly tell it was a Duramboros after he was done with it. It was basically a charred wreck."

"Geez... What about the ruins? There was an explosion, wasn't there?"

"That's what put you in a bed for three days, yeah. The bombs were built into most of the walls; the whole place was blasted apart. Doctor Connor said it was a miracle you didn't lose an arm or a leg in the explosion, given how roughed up you were."

"Then... If the place was destroyed..." Wes slowly fell back onto his bed, fully remembering the final events of the job.

_All six of them are dead... I killed all six of them... If I hadn't knocked them all out, his lackeys could've at least escaped..._

"Wes? You okay?" Snow asked, snapping him out of his dark thoughts. "Did something... happen in the ruin?"

"We... We ran into a bunch of bandits who were trying to loot the place... They captured Tara and me, and I had to fight them while we were escaping... I tried to knock them all out to avoid killing them, but... I stabbed one of them right through the eye..."

"Oh my god, that's horrible!" the huntress gasped, pulling a hand over her mouth in horror. "They didn't hurt you too much though, right? Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm better than they are now..." he mumbled, peeling off the bandage over his nose. The wound below had already scarred over, though it wasn't a very noticeable mark. "At least I managed to get out of there alive."

"Wes, I get that it's hard, but you are not in the wrong for what you did," the white haired huntress consoled. "You defended yourself, and even if you had attacked first, they were... they were bandits who refused your offer of mercy. They didn't want to negotiate. It isn't easy to take a life, I understand, but no one will think badly of you because of this."

"I will," the dual blade wielder replied. "The only comfort this could possibly give anyone is Viper, since I'm pretty sure one of them was the guy who killed his father. But... how do you understand what it's like?"

"Oh, uh, I- I just meant that I get that it's not easy... I don't think anyone could feel good about it, at least, and-"

"Yo, Wes! It's about time you returned to the land of the living!" Wes and Snow both turned to the door where Viper stood holding a cup of noodles. "How was the nap? Any fun dreams?"

"Viper, now's not the time for jokes..."

"Aw, come on! A bit of good ol' fashioned laughter never hurt anyone!"

"I was trying to make Wes feel better about what happened in the ruins, dummy! You were there when Tara told us what happened!"

"Exactly! Why do ya think I'm here?" the archer replied with a laugh, downing the contents of his noodle cup and tossing it into a waste bin as he walked over to Wes' bed. "Look bud, I know how rough you had it in that ruin, but lemme ask you somethin'. That guy you killed, he had a Bullfango pelt cape on, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Because that's the same thing my father's killer wore. You gave him the justice he deserved; after you tried to settle things peacefully, of course. You avenged my dad. And sure, I would have _liked _to see the guy publicly hanged or something for what he did, but I can't help but feel a little better about everything knowing that son of a bitch finally got what was coming to him!"

Wes was almost shocked at how much more jovial the golden eyed archer was. _How can killing a person make someone so happy...? Maybe... maybe if a person doesn't want a second chance, and they are a threat to others, maybe it might be okay... But I won't become a killer! That's not who I am..._

"Wes! You're okay!" The blue- and green-eyed hunter barely had time to glance up as he saw a white armored huntress leaping through the air towards him. The hunter let out a surprised yelp at the sight before Sapphire landed on him, embracing him in a tight bear hug. "You had me so worried! Are you okay? You look okay, but are you okay-okay? Or just regular okay?"

"Sapphire... Watch the ribs...!" he choked out, the blue-haired huntress' embrace making it hard to breath. She loosened up a moment later before pushing herself upright, putting her face uncomfortably close to his. "Could... you please get off of me...?"

"Answer my question first," she said, smirking and refusing to budge.

"Er... I'm okay..."

"Good!" The Lagombi armored huntress leapt off the bed immediately, allowing Wes to catch his breath and fix his flustered expression.

"That was quite the entrance, Saph," Viper laughed. "How many more of Wes' bones do you think you just broke?"

"Oh, I didn't think I'd-! I'm so sorry!"

"It's fine, nothing else is broken... I think," he replied, tugging at the bandages around his torso. "So, did I miss much while I was out?"

"Not really, no," Snow answered. "It's just been business as usual, though Viper reclaimed his title from Emerald yesterday."

"And it was _glorious_!" the archer shouted triumphantly, raising a fist into the air. "I've gotta tell you how it happened, bud! Okay, so-"

"Excuse me, but I must interrupt," a voice behind Viper stated. The archer stepped aside as Connor walked into the room holding a clipboard. "He is awake, correct? Ah, good to see you are conscious, Wes. I am a little pressed for time right now, but I will inform you that you can stay another day here if you wish."

"Thanks, but I think I'd like to get out and move around a bit," the dual blade wielder replied, lifting his feet over the side of the bed. "The hospital setting doesn't really do well for me."

"Very well, if that is what you wish. You will not be partaking in any assignments for the next two days, though, and you should refrain from further injury in that time."

_Ugh... What am I going to do for two days?_ "Alright, thanks, doc."

"Of course. Your equipment is in your room, in case you were wondering. I wish you well."

With that the black-haired doctor stepped out of the room to go check up on the other injured hunters in the hospital, while Wes pushed himself to his feet.

"Good to see my legs still work," he chuckled, stretching a little and grabbing his white shirt off the chair. He didn't feel all too sore, though a few parts of his body were definitely aching, his torso in particular.

"I think it's better that you're not in a coma, bud," Viper said, patting him on the shoulder. "I'm sure the ladies will all be happy to see you moving around again too! You're pretty popular with them, you know that?"

"Don't remind me..."

"Hah! Don't worry, I won't mind taking some of your harem off your hands if you'd like!"

"Shut the hell up," Wes chuckled, knowing that despite his joking around, Viper was actually serious. The archer had a few fans of his own, which he had pointed out to the dual blade wielder once, but Wes still found he had a few more admirers. This had sparked a sort of non-serious rivalry between them to see who'd be more successful, though Wes secretly wished most of his 'fans' would pursue Viper instead.

"Well, glad to see you're all better, Wes," Snow said with a warm smile. "I gotta go and see how Frost is doing. He took a nasty blow to the leg during our last job, and I need to make sure he's not too badly injured. See you guys around!"

The huntress went on her way and Viper departed as well, stating he had to make a supply run, leaving Sapphire as the only visitor left. Wes pulled his boots on as Sapphire waited idly, smiling cheerfully as he stood up.

"All better then?"

"Yeah, I think so," he replied, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt to his elbows. "Definitely better than being unconscious, I suppose."

"I think anyone would agree with that," the huntress laughed. "Oh, but I'm forgetting something! I made you a get-well-soon gift!"

"Uh… A gift…?"

"Yup!" she replied, opening up the small red pouch hung at her side and pulling out a small square shape wrapped in brown paper. The huntress handed it over to him enthusiastically, and Wes reluctantly accepted the small package, feeling quite awkward about the whole situation. "I was actually working on it for a little while, but I only finished it yesterday. Go on, open it!"

"Erm… Okay then…"

Wes slowly ripped the wrapping away, revealing the back of a picture frame beneath. He fully removed the rest of it as Sapphire's insistent gaze urged him to continue, and the dual blade wielder turned the wood framed object over to see what it held. He gasped at what he saw.

It was a picture of him. Not a simple one either, but an incredibly elaborate and detailed sketch of him in his hunting gear drawn using nothing but a pencil. His facial features were almost spot on, his eyes holding the determined gaze he so often had during a quest and his mouth splitting into the same confident grin he wore on hunts. His armor was spot on as well, as were the swords; his appearance in the picture was that of his combat stance, with his feet spaced at shoulder length distance from each other and both blades in his grasp. The one thing Wes noted was out of place was that his hood was down, though he passed it off as Sapphire wanting to focus on his head and face.

"Do you like it?" the huntress asked, leaning in a bit closer.

"Like it…? Sapphire, this is awesome!" he exclaimed, staring intently at the sketch. "Where in the world did you learn to draw like this?"

The huntress giggled a little, a barely noticeable blush lighting up her cheeks. "Well, I had thought about maybe going into an artistic field when I was younger, so I decided to teach myself how to draw as well as I could! And sure, I love hunting, but I think art is a great thing too, and if for whatever reason I have to retire from hunting I'm thinking I could be an artist instead!"

"So, wait, you're… you're self-taught?"

"Yup, took me about four years to get that good!"

"…Geez, you could probably retire now and make a killing off of drawings like this," Wes mumbled, continuing to look the picture over. He had to admit, while he wasn't exactly an art critic –or artist, for that matter- Sapphire's drawing had been well and beyond every other drawing and painting he'd ever seen before. There was only one lingering question that remained in his mind. "Why'd you draw me though?"

"Oh, uhm, well… I just thought you… your outfit looked the coolest out of anyone else's!" she replied quickly, stuttering a little over the words.

"Well… I mean, my suit _is _nice… You drew it pretty damn well on me, that's for sure."

"Well, I'm glad you like it," the huntress said cheerfully. "It's not the best I've done, but I'm still happy about how it came out."

"Considering I can only draw stick figures and smiley faces, I'm okay with it," Wes replied. "Still, when did you find the time to get my exact stance down? This is spot on!"

"It is the most common pose you strike, so I thought it'd be the best to do! I mostly got it from watching you during hunts."

"...Why were you watching me during hunts?"

"Because you looked- oh, uh, no reason!" Sapphire replied sheepishly. "Oh, that's right! I almost forgot, Balestra said he wanted to meet with you!"

"Huh? Why's that?" Wes asked, hiding his relief at the change of subject.

"I'm not sure... He said something about a job later in the week or something, but I didn't really hear much of it..."

"Guess I'll have to find out for myself then. Thanks for the info, Saph. Oh, and the, uh, the drawing too."

"Don't mention it! Want me to go with you back to your room, in case you're still feeling sore?"

"Eh... No, I'm alright, thanks for offering."

"Well, I still have to go up to my room too, so I can still walk with you, right?"

"Erm..."

"Sapphire! Where are you?" a voice in the hall called out. The two turned to face the door as Ruby poked her head around the corner. The red haired huntress gave Wes a sour look before turning to her friend.

"Don't you remember? We have a job today!"

"Oh, woops! I completely forgot! Sorry, I gotta go, Wes! I'll see you around!"

The blue haired huntress made her way out of the room hurriedly, while Ruby shot one more glare at Wes before departing herself. Before she moved completely out of view, though, Wes spied a pair of handles poking over her shoulder.

"Dual swords, huh? Wonder why she dropped the hammer..." he mumbled, shrugging to himself and walking out of the room.

* * *

A few knocks on his door incited the Corps head to look up from the document he had been reading, closing the document and setting it aside before responding.

"Enter."

The hunter Wes stepped through the door, shutting it behind him once fully inside. Balestra noted a new, almost invisible scar across the bridge of the hunter's nose, along with bandages wrapping around his torso and left wrist beneath the collar of his shirt and his rolled up sleeves.

"Ah, Mr. Wes. I wasn't expecting to see you up for another day."

"What can I say, I heal fast," the blue- and green-eyed hunter replied, pulling a seat over and seating himself.

"No doubt another trait you inherited from your father, it would seem. Wounds that would incapacitate someone for a month would only keep him down for a week."

"How do you know that...?"

"You may be surprised by the amount of information I hold on those under my jurisdiction. For instance, I know that your acquaintance Viper lost his father to a botched robbery attempt four years ago, and that you slew the perpetrator of the crime on your last assignment. I also know your father runs a home-based equipment crafting business in Moga Village, and that your mother has a similar occupation with cooking."

"Is there a reason you're telling me all of this?" Wes asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Because I understand that you were confused by the team I assigned you to three days prior," Balestra replied monotonously. "All four of you had clashing personalities that would appear unfit for any sort of collaboration. Yet despite the loss of a teammate, and the separation from another one, you still succeeded."

"Okay...?" Wes said, not seeming to fully understand what the crimson-eyed man was getting at.

"I told you all specifically to do what you could to ensure the others' survivals. You managed to prevent your team from being killed by a boulder trap, Mr. Arroyo kept the Duramboros from attacking the explosive-filled ruins you were all trapped in, Mr. Curt ensured your survival when he could not escape his fate, and Ms. Tara led you both out safely after retrieving the magma ruby."

"I wouldn't exactly call getting caught in an explosion and being knocked unconscious for three days 'safe'."

"Not many would. However, you did survive, as did the majority of your team. I knew specifically that each of you had experiences with losing a teammate before, and would try to ensure the others made it out in the end. I knew full well that not all of you would make it out alive, considering the hazards within, so I made the precautions to ensure at least half the team would make it. Fortunately, three of you survived."

"Wouldn't it have made more sense to get everyone out instead of just half?" the hunter inquired bluntly. "I'm pretty it'd be more important to consider that _everyone _has a life, not just a few of them."

"Unfortunately we live in an imperfect world, Mr. Wes. We must make do with what we can, despite the tragedies caused by the inevitable loss of lives. Imperfect solutions are all we as humans can muster, try as we may to strive for perfection. Mr. Curt's sacrifice was certainly not in vain, as he ensured that his comrades could escape his same fate."

"It just isn't right to condemn people from the start though!"

"No one was condemned to die, it was just expected that not everyone would make it back alive. Were it that you all returned safely, I would have been far more surprised."

"…Alright, what does any of this have to do with why you wanted to talk to me?" Wes blurted out, which Balestra knew was because the hunter couldn't get much farther in an argument with him. "I'm pretty sure you weren't hoping to make small talk."

"You would be correct. As… intriguing as the events of your last assignment were, there is something of far greater importance you will be taking part in."

"Connor said I shouldn't go on any assignments for two days."

"Then it is good that you have a full week to prepare. What you will be participating in is not an assignment, but more of a… demonstration, if you will. The Master Corps' reputation has begun to grow immensely, and the Guild would like a firsthand observation of our hunters at work."

"Firsthand? We aren't bringing reps along on a hunt, are we?"

"No. You will be partaking in an arena hunt against a new creature never before seen in the world, one that never had rumors or legends shrouding it. The Guildmaster, the city council, and the whole of Loc Lac will be treated to the spectacle of both the beast's unveiling… and the hunters who will close the curtains on its life."

"Wait… the _whole city_ will be watching…?" Wes asked, not believing what he had heard. Balestra could easily tell that Wes was seeing images in his mind of fame and glory, the young hunter smirking to himself as if it would all be his soon.

"Mr. Wes, I do not have time for you to waste daydreaming in my presence," Balestra said, pulling the dual blade wielder from his thoughts. "As I was saying, the entire city will be watching this event. As such, I had to choose from among the best qualified hunters in several different categories and skill sets to determine which of those under my command would be ideal for this particular task. It was your ability to think on your feet that has helped you succeed in many of your past assignments, and I trust you will be able to do the same for this one."

Wes chuckled a little at the last comment, seeming to have some lingering thoughts on his dreams of success. "So basically what you're saying is that out of all the hunters here, I'm the most adaptable?"

"Do not think that because you have been chosen for a particular assignment, you are entitled to believe yourself above your peers," the black uniformed man said sternly. "It was a very long, grueling process of elimination deciding who to pick, and I will not hesitate to trade your spot for another hunter who is more apt than you, Mr. Wes. This is not a game, there are no 'first place prizes'; there are only _results._ I've received some complaints about your glory-seeking from a few other hunters here, so you'd best be watching your complexion."

The dual blade wielder frowned irately, but sighed in acknowledgement. "Alright, fine, whatever." The Corps Head saw the young hunter open his eyes suddenly, as if something had clicked in his mind. "Wait just a second…"

"What is it now, Mr. Wes?"

"You said this 'monster' was a complete unknown, right? No legends or rumors or anything?"

"That is correct."

"Then how does the Guild or the Corps have it in their possession for an arena hunt _inside the city?_ There's no way-"

"Mr. Wes, such questions are not what should be troubling your mind now," the crimson eyed man stated, cutting the hunter off. "What you should be more inclined to focus on is healing yourself and preparing for the task later this week. You have seven days in which you can hone your skills further and ensure you are ready for the challenge, and I do insist you spend them wisely. Do not ask me how this creature came into our possession, only know that you will be faced with it soon enough. Am I clear?"

Wes stared intently at the man for a few moments, but Balestra remained adamant. Eventually the hunter relented, though the Corps Head suspected he still kept the question floating around his mind.

"…Alright, fine. Is that everything then?"

"Yes. You may go about your business now. Good day to you, Mr. Wes."

The hunter stood up and abruptly shoved the chair he had been seated on back into place before heading out the door, grumbling to himself as he went. As the door slammed shut, Balestra returned to reading over the dossier he had set aside, labeled 'Frost'.

_I do wonder what secrets this man holds… He and his sister only appeared in the Loc Lac database a year and a half ago, meaning that everything from before then is a complete mystery… Perhaps I should do a little more digging on these 'Tundra Twins'…_

* * *

"Bah, you got me again!"

"Well, you have gotten a touch better at this, Corrin. This bout ended 15-11, still in my favor."

"One of these days, you'll see that I'm the one hitting 15 before you, Trance."

The brown haired officer chuckled as he removed his mask and shook his friend's hand respectfully before the pair made their way to the bench beside the strip and began to remove their protective clothing.

"So, how goes adjusting to your new hand?" Trance asked. Corrin held up his right arm, showing off the black gloved hand to him.

"To be honest, it works great. If I wear this, it's like nothing ever happened! Well, aside from being unable to feel a thing with it, but still…"

"I'm more surprised that it works so well. That _is_ your sword hand, and after spending a month in bed you managed to improve your fencing skills somehow! I swear, I'll never get how those scientists managed to create a fully prosthetic, working limb…"

"I think I overheard one of the doctors saying it was put together using Meldspar Ore, Baleful Gigginox hides, and a Lagia Sapphire. Apparently those lightning slugs' skin can be treated in such a way that it essentially becomes an extension of the nervous system, which they graft the metallic hand onto. They put the sapphire in the palm as an added power source, and boom! New limb!"

"Yeah… I really don't want to know how they managed to figure all of that out down in the science wing… Or wherever that monstrosity was concocted. What does your woman think of it?"

"Eh… She says I should keep the glove on."

"Thought so," Trance chuckled, finishing packing his gear into his bag.

"Say, have you heard about the arena spectacle Sir Balestra is putting together next week?" Corrin asked, shouldering his own pack. "Apparently he's gonna have some hunters demonstrate how the Corps handles things to the entire city!"

"Oh, really? I haven't heard about this. Where'd you learn it from?"

"That guard by Sir Balestra's office that no one seems to pay attention to. I swear, he's got the easiest job ever… Anyways, he told me that he overheard Sir Balestra having a meeting with someone yesterday about it. He's gonna use that new monster they've got penned up down under for the show!"

"Wait, wait, you mean that… 'Gear Rex' thing?" Trance asked, keeping his voice low. Gear Rex was still a classified creature, so none of the hunters were to learn about its existence. Even the ones who had captured it, despite the unusual wounds they received from it, were bound to secrecy, lest they be imprisoned for revealing confidential information to the public. If Balestra was planning on having the hunters fight that, then clearly the researchers must be close to finishing their studies.

"So it would seem. I think it's because they can't afford to keep it penned up down there anymore. The amount of sedatives those egg heads have been putting into it would be enough to put a Jhen Mohran to sleep by now."

"I figured it would get to that point before too long. It'll definitely be a show, that's for sure," Trance stated, walking into the HQ building with Corrin. "But wait… Didn't they say it could use acid capable of destroying solid steel? The arena is made out of stone!"

"I was down under earlier," Corrin replied, striding up the steps with Trance following behind him. "One of those alchemists managed to brew up a kind of coating they can apply to the walls that prevents excess damage. It also can't bend its… launcher thing up very high, so they crowds should be safe too."

"I hope you're right… Last thing we need is that beast going on a rampage through Loc Lac. Did you see if they've gotten the access tunnel to the arena finished? If we're gonna be all hush hush about this, Sir Balestra is almost certain to want to use it."

"Yeah, they were just adding the final supports today. I swear, for four hundred meters that tunnel seemed like a lot of effort just for transporting monsters to the arena."

"The Guild said they'd be using extra cages down there to store other arena quest monsters as a trade off, so it's not like it's a one-time deal. That'd be a huge waste of resources, and you know how much Sir Balestra despises fruitless efforts."

"No kidding… Still, not like we don't get rewarded for good work, right? The pay we get is phenomenal!" Corrin said with a chuckle. "I was actually worried going into this that I wouldn't earn as much as regular Guild employees do, but I get almost double that! Five-hundred gold per hour, eight hour work days with lunch included, I swear, this is a dream!"

"Not to mention the hourly breaks, too… It's a good life, isn't it?" Trance agreed with a laugh. "We keep this up, we'll be able to retire young!"

"Hah, wouldn't that be a treat? You got any aspirations after your run in the Corps, Trance?"

"Eh… Well, aside from the classic 'find a nice woman and settle down' answer, I got nothing. Maybe I'll get more into competitive fencing, since that's been on the rise for the past few years too."

"That's all? Come on, I was at least expecting business manager or something!"

"What, with my brains? C+, remember?"

"Ah, right… Maybe you could be a security contractor. VIPs are always looking for cheaper ways to get across the country without having to go through the Guild processes, considering how long –and expensive- it all is."

"What, you want me to be a security guard? I might as well become a member of the city council with your suggestions!"

"I would not want you presiding over one of these districts, if that makes you feel any better."

"It really doesn't. Anyways, what about you, Corrin? Any goals?"

"Hmm… Maybe I'll go into management, open my own store or something. Guild contacts are always a boon to have when establishing a reputation among hunters. There's that sundries company that opened about… What, fifteen years ago? They've been doing really well, and I hear the owner was in good with the Guild when she was a hunter."

"I can imagine you sitting behind a desk all day filing reports!" the brown haired officer chuckled. "Still, it isn't a bad way to go. Anything to provide, right?"

"Of course. Heaven forbid I don't get a job. I don't think I'd last long on the streets, in all honesty."

"Hey, you could always work as a security guard."

"I meant that as a joke, Trance."

* * *

"Jeez, Pa, what did you send me this time?" Wes wondered aloud, eyeing the large box on the floor of his room. He'd only just gotten back since recovering from his injuries and his meeting with Balestra, so the package was an unexpected surprise for him. The hunter eagerly strapped one of his wrist blades on to pry the lid off with, jamming the blade into three separate spots in order to open it.

Slowly lifting the top off the crate, Wes curiously pulled out a long, somewhat heavy object wrapped in cloth bindings. Based on the shape, it seemed to be a sword of some kind, which the blue- and green-eyed hunter was more than willing to open up first. Still, he refrained from doing so in order to see if his parents had sent anything else. Aside from a number of rope darts, throwing knives, and a storage tin full of food (which Wes already considered to be on par with whatever gift his father had gotten), there was nothing else, so the hunter went to read the letter attached to the inside of the box.

_Wes,_

_Sorry for the delay in this letter, but I've been pulling the few things you asked for last time together. Metalworking hasn't been as easy to do as of late, considering a lack of resources. Still, the extra knives and darts will help. Your mother saw fit to pack some grub for you as well, so try not to go through it as fast as you did last time, eh? She's half of our income over here._

_Now, I'm pretty certain that you've already seen the big bundle I got stored in there, and knowing you, you've probably been debating opening it this entire time. Not to worry, it isn't booby trapped or anything, so you won't have to worry about this present blowing up in your face. Speaking of… I'd like to consider them as a sort of early birthday gift for you. I know it's a couple months away and all, but you might need these before then, so better safe than sorry, right?_

_I've been working on those schematics you sent me a few months back as well, though it's more of a side project than anything. I'm low on metals that would help in the forging process, and between the training school and fixing all the crap the villagers bring in my hands a pretty full. If you can find some chunks of Fucium Ore, I'll be back in business on those swords. Until then, enjoy the pair I sent._

_As always, stay safe, make smart choices, and remember to eat breakfast._

_Love, Pa_

_P.S. Your mother says hi as well, but she was busy making a few orders while I was writing this. I'm sure you know her whole routine, but stay out of trouble with women, don't do drugs, yada yada yada. _

_P.S.S. If you do end up/are already getting into a relationship, I can at least cover for you on this end._

Wes tossed the letter back into the crate before going to the cloth wrapped bundle lying on his bed. The object was about three feet long, almost the same as his current swords. The hunter eagerly untied the wrappings around his gift, revealing a brand new pair of dual swords within.

Unlike his old swords, these blades had a much more noticeable curve to them, to the point that they could be considered scimitars. They had wider, heavier blades that gleamed from being freshly polished. The handles were shorter than his other blades, with only enough space on each leather-wrapped hilt to accommodate one of his hands. A rounded gold pummel adorned the bottom of each handle, and a curved handguard of the same color extended around the handles where the wielder's knuckles would be, with a noticeable 'bulge' near the center.

Wes wrapped a hand around the hilt of both swords, lifting them out to get a feel for them. They were noticeably heavier than his other long-handled pair, and had wider blades better suited for slashing and inflicting deep cuts. Wes could immediately tell that while his attack speed would suffer a little, the damage he could inflict would be greater, making even larger monsters easier to wound.

"Kinda wish I had these when we ran into that Duramboros…" he mumbled, swinging one of the blades in the open space of his room. The hunter grinned as the sword gave off a satisfying _whish _mid-swing, the sharp, shiny blade reflecting the light from outside his window. "Maybe I should test these out on some targets..."

The dual blade wielder went to his equipment chest, garbing himself in his mixed-material armor, strapping his wrist blades on over his bracers, and sheathing his new swords across his back.

_As long as I try not to overdo it, I think I'll be fine," _he thought, shifting uncomfortably as he felt a slight ache in his chest.

His gaze turned back to the chest, though, and the small leather box that lie within. After a few moments, he decided to grab the case and find Viper.

_He seemed way calmer about everything earlier… Maybe putting his father's killer six feet under had more of an effect than I thought... Hopefully he'll be responsible with this, but I should keep a close eye on him just in case... I'll lose this before too long if I don't get it to him. And he'll have to learn how to use the thing too… He better not take a finger off when he tries it out._

Wes placed the rest of the contents of the package into his chest before heading to the door, pulling his Barioth pelt hood up as he went. He stopped before reaching the door, however, almost forgetting that Sapphire's gift was still in his pouch.

"Better leave that right here," he mumbled, pulling the drawing out and setting it on the corner of his table. He gave the picture another look, shaking his head and chuckling in amazement at how detailed it was and stepping into the hall. He saw a pair of Guild officers walking up the stairs to his left, conversing about something he couldn't hear, but aside from them the hall was empty. Wes still made sure to check behind the potted plant in the corner in case his blue-haired admirer was hiding out for him, but she wasn't there, so he made his way down a level to Viper's floor.

"Hey, Viper, you in there?" he asked, knocking on the archer's door.

"Yo, just a second!" a voice inside replied. Wes heard a loud _thud _from within and a few footsteps before the door opened, revealing the golden-eyed bow wielder. "What's up, bud?"

"What're you doing in there?" Wes inquired, noting Viper's disheveled appearance. He looked like he'd been in the midst of a workout routine, with small beads of sweat rolling off his brow and a few quiet gasps escaping his lips.

"Pull ups! I gotta keep my arms in shape to use a bow with a string as tight as mine, after all. I put the bar in yesterday, since the ones in the yard are always being used when I get out there."

"Where'd you get a bar? And how did you get it set up, for that matter?"

"Adrian's shop has a lot of things for sale, bud. As for how I set it up, I just jammed it into my wall. Not that hard."

"…And that seemed like a good idea? Does it even have an anchor?" Wes asked.

"No, ain't those what they use on boats?" Viper replied somewhat dully.

"Haven't you ever hung anything on a wall before? Heavy things need extra support or else they-" A loud crack and a metallic clanging sound inside the room caused the archer to spin around in surprise, and Wes to peer around him. A large metal bar had fallen to the ground along with a large chunk of the wall still attached to it, and other small bits of debris were still falling down around the iron pole.

"Aw shit, not again… Okay, that didn't happen," Viper said quickly, stepping outside the room and shutting the door abruptly. "So, what did you need, bud?"

"Well, I figured it was about time I gave this to you." The blue- and green-eyed hunter held the small leather box out to the archer, who curiously took it and shook it a little.

"Just to be clear, this isn't gonna blow up in my face, right?"

"No, don't worry, I've opened it once before."

"Good. My dad used to pull those tricks on me, and they got kinda old after the fourth time," the archer stated, chuckling a little and beginning to open the box.

_Guess that makes two of us,_ Wes thought to himself, watching as the golden-eyed hunter tossed the lid to the ground and pulled the dark metallic grey device out, eyeing it curiously.

"What is this?" he asked, peering into the open slot on the front of the compartment. Wes quickly pushed it away, fearing the hunter might brain himself with it.

"That would be the wrist blade my Pa made for you. Remember the Lucent Nargacuga hunt a few months ago?" he said in response to Viper's raised eyebrow. The archer's visible eye seemed to light up at the mention.

"Oh, right! I completely forgot about that! Geez, took him long enough to get this thing put together, huh?" he asked, looking it over again. "Mind helping me get this thing on? I want to try it out now!"

"Sure, which arm do you want it on?"

"Eh… Probably my left arm, since it could fit well below my armguard there."

The dual blade wielder helped show the archer how to properly strap the object to his forearm and elaborated on how the mechanism worked to Viper, who still seemed a little clueless at the end of the explanation.

"So basically I just flick my wrist, right?" the golden-eyed archer asked simply, understanding enough of the convoluted device's workings to get how to deploy it. Wes nodded in confirmation, and the archer immediately tried it out, extending the pale silver blade from his wrist with a quiet metallic noise. It came narrowly close to slicing his ring finger, but his hand moved at just the right moment to avoid any harm, and Wes sighed in relief. "Okay, this is frickin' awesome."

"Yeah, just make sure you do what I said to do next time with your hand placement. You almost lost a digit there, Joker."

"Ah, sorry, bud. Y'know, I kinda want to try this thing out now! Were you heading out to the training yard?"

"Yeah, I got a new pair of swords I'm gonna try out," Wes stated, placing a hand on one of the gold-hilted blades strapped to his back. "I can show you how to use that thing properly too, at least when it comes to attacking with it. But let me be clear on something; that is for use on _hunts_, not on _people._"

"I wouldn't have even thought of that," the archer assured, raising his arm as if he was swearing an oath. "Still, maybe I should use one of my knives at the same time too, considering I just got one blade on my wrist," the archer laughed, drawing one of the thin bone daggers sheathed on the back of his belt. "Never really used these before, actually."

"Hey, whatever works, right?" Wes chuckled as Viper retracted the blade and sheathed the dagger. "Alright, c'mon, bow boy. Time for another lesson."

"You gonna charge me for this one too?" Viper asked dryly as they made their way out to the training yard.

"Now that you mention it…" Wes laughed as the archer groaned irately, though Wes hadn't actually intended to charge Viper for this one. _He already had to give Pa enough money, so why not. _The pair approached the dummy practice grounds, and Wes quickly set up a few of the targets for them to use.

"You ever wonder why they made people shaped dummies for us to practice with?" Viper asked, eyeing the four targets before him. "I mean, we hunt monsters; animals, if you will. Why not make those into targets instead?"

"Huh, I never really thought about that. Maybe it's because we've got our vulnerable spots too, just like monsters. We have organs, limbs, and the like, so maybe it's to train us to look for vulnerable spots in monsters that we'd see in people too. I can't imagine anything surviving a neck wound for long, and chopping a limb off would make a monster way easier to take care of."

"It's as good a guess as any, bud. You sure you'll want to use these things, though? No PTSD or anything, right?"

"These are just targets, Viper. Not people."

"Fair enough. Alright, so, gimme a run down here; is it just swish-swish-stab?"

"Basically. You're blade is a bit wider than my ones, so slashing with it is a better option. Of course, it's a bit shorter as well, so stabbing won't be as damaging. Still, hit a vital spot and anything'll drop without a fuss. Go on, give it a try."

Viper grinned as he extended the blade, keeping his fingers away from the pale lucent blade as it appeared from the compartment on his wrist. In the same motion he drew one of his bone knives, tightening his grip around its cloth-wrapped handle as he stared at the targets intently.

"Alright, here we go!"

The archer lunged for the first target with his wrist blade, driving the silver blade directly into the dummy's throat. Instead of pulling the blade out, though, Viper turned and ran his dagger into the side of the next target's head. Prying his wrist blade free, the golden-eyed archer used his dagger as a sling, pulling himself towards the other two dummies and freeing the bone blade in the process. He ran full speed into the third target, driving the wrist blade precisely into the center of the target before leaping over it and bringing his dagger down onto the top of its head, leaving the blade stuck there as he released it.

"So, how was that?" he asked, again retracting the blade. "I'd say those would all have been kill shots!"

"Not gonna lie, I'm impressed you got the hang of it so quickly," Wes replied, nodding at him in confirmation. "More so that you could manage to hit all those spots without messing up once, and with only a few seconds to prepare too!"

"Hey, it's like setting up a shot, bud. Find where you want to hit and lay it out in your mind how you'll hit the next one in the sequence. I guess you could say I marked each one in my head before moving. Call it a superpower if you want."

"Alright, Mr. Deadeye, no need to say you've got magic powers now," the blue- and green-eyed hunter laughed. "But lemme show you how it's done!"

The archer pulled his dagger free from the last targets head as Wes took position where Viper had moments before. Extending both blades, he quickly rushed the first target, slashing its neck with one blade and driving his other into its head. With a quick spin, he drove his elbow into the second dummy's head and twisted around, stabbing his right blade through the back of its head. He threw himself at the remaining two targets, leaping over the first and stabbing its neck. He used that dummy as a stepping stone to leap onto the next, knocking the last target to the ground as he drove a blade into its throat.

"Hah, wow! Nice jump move at the end there!" Viper applauded, laughing as he clapped his hands. "I'll have to remember that one!"

"Told ya, there's nothing to it," Wes replied, grinning confidently as he pulled his wrist blade free and retracted it. "Now then, let's see what these swords can do!"

"Hey! Wes, Viper!" The pair turned towards the source of the voice, seeing Snow jog over to where they stood. "How's it going? I didn't think I'd see you out on the fields so soon, Wes!"

"What can I say, nothing keeps me down for long," he said, grinning and adding a bit of flourish by raising his arms in an exaggerated shrug. "I was just giving bow boy a rundown on how to use his new weapon."

"Oh? I don't see anything new on him," the huntress commented, glancing over the archer's shoulder and at his waist. "What, does he have an invisible sword now or something?"

"No, not invisible: hidden," the archer replied, bringing his arm up and extending the blade for Snow to see. "Not a bad piece of work, eh?"

"Wow… Why does it catch the light like that?" the short sword wielder asked, peering at the silvery blade curiously as it seemed to glow.

"It's made out of a Lucent Nargacuga tailspike. It used moonlight to turn itself invisible when it was still kicking, and I guess this is what it does in the middle of the day."

"It's actually a pretty good fit for you too, Viper," Wes said. "You can apply a bow coating to it through that opening on the back to use any status effect you can. Poison, paralysis, sleep… You've got them all right there."

"Hot damn, this thing just gets better and better! I think I might want to practice with it some more, actually, and-"

"Hey, dumbass!" The three turned to see Emerald standing by the shooting range, crossing her arms irately. "You think I'm just gonna take that loss yesterday lying down?! Get your ass over here so I can take my title back!"

"I never could resist a challenge," the archer grinned, brushing his black hair away from the eye it covered and making his way over to the range. It quickly fell back into place after he took a step, leaving Wes and Snow chuckling as they began to hear the two shouting at each other competitively.

"I guess you were right about one thing, Snow: they really are exactly the same," Wes stated, smirking in amusement as he watched the two archers move into position for another shoot off.

"Well, hey, maybe I will end up winning our bet!" the huntress replied with a short giggle. "Oh, and speaking of…"

Wes immediately paled as he realized what Snow was getting at, dreadfully recalling both the first and second bet he made with her four days previous.

_Shit. _

"Uh… Yeah, uh, I-I think we should-"

"Good, so you do remember! C'mon, let's go get something to eat! You're buying!" she replied, cheerfully grabbing his wrist and pulling her along behind her as they headed out of the district.

_I'm gonna die… _Wes fearfully thought to himself, barely managing to keep up with Snow as the white haired huntress continued dragging him through the streets of east Loc Lac to the tavern they frequented. Upon entering she made her way to a table set on the far side of the tavern, away from most of the other patrons and abruptly seated him down, taking the bench opposite him and smiling cheerfully.

_Shit, what the hell do I do now?! _He thought, glancing around nervously. Wes felt his face redden a bit as Snow chuckled from across the table, though if it was out of embarrassment, anxiety, or attraction, he didn't know.

"Well? Aren't you gonna say something?"

"Oh, uh… Absolutely, uh, I was just… wondering if… uh…"

The white haired huntress giggled as he struggled to find the ability to put words into a coherent sentence, only flustering him further.

"I'm guessing you aren't used to this scene," she said, smiling a little as he let out a long sigh.

"Yeah… Not really…" he sighed, allowing his head to fall onto the table. _Well, that went about as well as I thought it would._

"Well, I suppose I can stop teasing you about it now that I've got you here." Wes glanced up in confusion as the short sword wielder smiled at him. For some reason, it seemed more friendly than attracted, though Wes wasn't exactly sure what the second looked like.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, pushing himself up from the tabletop.

"Please don't take it the wrong way, but I wasn't really interested in the whole 'romance' thing. All I really wanted was to talk with you," Snow replied, smiling apologetically. "I just thought it would be easier to do it this way. I… didn't really expect you to be so nervous about this."

"Eh? I wasn't nervous, I was just- you… you caught me off guard is all." Secretly, Wes breathed a sigh of relief large enough to fill an airship's blimp, feeling as though a massive weight had just been lifted off of his shoulders. _I don't know if I could take that the wrong way, all things considered…_

"I'm so sure," she giggled. "You aren't really my type anyways!"

"Geez, if that's how you felt, then why did you lead me on this whole time? I practically had a heart attack!"

"Well, I thought it was funny seeing how you reacted to this. I... guess I might have taken it a little far, huh?"

"No, not at all," Wes replied wryly. "At least I didn't get stabbed in the chest like all the other guys who get into these situations."

"No need to be snarky, Wes," Snow chuckled. "Still, this technically _is _a date, so you're still treating me."

"Let's… not make a habit out of this, okay?" Wes sighed, pulling his hood back. "Anyways, what did you want to talk about? Obviously it must've been important enough to go through that entire set up to get me alone with you."

"Well, I guess, but why not just get acquainted with each other first? Break the ice, y'know?"

_I'm really starting to hate that phrase… _"Alright, well… you said you and Frost were from the Tundra area, right? Which town?"

"It doesn't exist anymore, actually, but it wasn't too far from Hearth; the two had a brisk trade going between them. You ever hear the old stories about Kalvata Village?"

"I think I heard a few of 'em when I was younger… Isn't that the place everyone claims the devil lives under or something?"

"That's not really the story, but yeah. I basically grew up hearing those tales."

"Huh, you'll have to refresh my memory on those ones."

"Do you really want to hear it? It's just an old legend," Snow said coyly.

"Just tell me, I like hearing stories," Wes replied with a short chuckle.

"You don't have to say that if you really don't want to listen."

"Alright, come on, this stopped being funny after the first time."

"Alright, fine, I'll tell you, but only because _you _want to hear it..."

"Snow, seriously."

Snow paused as a waitress came over to their table and took their orders before getting back to the conversation.

"Okay, okay, so it goes like this… A long time ago, there was a really old Barioth living high in the mountains. She was one of the most powerful creatures to have lived in that area, actually having been able to drive off a Deviljho all on its own. The people of Kalvata lived in fear that it might attack them one day, considering they lived at the base of the mountain. And… well, fear makes people believe things they shouldn't.

"Eventually the villagers decided that they wanted the beast slain, so they hired a group of hunters to go out and kill her. It took a while, but eventually a few hunters from that area signed the contract and off they went, heading up the mountain and into the cave the Barioth lived in.

"The village waited all day for word from the group, not hearing anything until the following morning. Out of the four hunters that had departed, only one survived. Yet, there were two others with him; a pair of children wearing nothing but Barioth pelts!

"At once the villagers began to drill the man with questions, asking who the kids were, what happened to the others, and, most importantly, if the Barioth had fallen. Despite how weary he was, he managed to relate the tale of his hunt. He confirmed that yes, after a long fight, the Barioth had eventually fallen. Unfortunately, two of his companions had been killed as well.

"'But wait,' the villagers asked. 'If only two were killed, then where is the other hunter?'

"The hunter's reply was one that shocked them to the core: _he _had been the one to kill the third hunter. Before they could ask why, though, he answered the question for them.

"'He had tried to kill these two.' The hunter gestured to the kids, which only brought up an even greater question in the people's minds: who were the kids? Well, if they had thought this guy was crazy before, then this should have cemented that. He said that the kids were the Barioth's _pups!_

"The hunter said was that the Barioth was a mother… She had two baby cubs she had been protecting from harm and feeding. But… after she fell, the other hunter and him found them. The other hunter argued that they would grow up to kill humans and that they should just kill them now, while the man who made it back believed they were responsible to look after the cubs.

"Unfortunately, the two disagreed so strongly that they came to blows, eventually ending when the surviving hunter threw the other off the mountain. He said that the mother's spirit had been watching the quarrel, and that upon seeing his virtues she willfully gave her cubs over to him. But what he hadn't been expecting was the two cubs to become humans, just like you or me!

"Needless to say, the villagers were pretty skeptical about the whole thing. Who'd ever heard about a monster becoming a human before, except in fantasy stories? But, after a long debate, the village decided to accept the kids- and the hunter- as one of their own. Everything seemed fine... for a while.

"Only a few months later, Kalvata began to experience even worse conditions than normal. Excessive snowstorms, hail the size of fists, frost covering the insides of homes even! The village head initially believed it was just a cold front, nothing more… And then it lasted for a week. A month. Half a year. The weather was so horrible for so long, it was like the land itself was under a spell.

"At first, no one thought much of it. Then, as time went on, their superstitions began to get the best of them again. The villagers turned their hatred and fear on the hunter and the two children, believing they had been the ones who brought the 'White Devil' upon them. No matter how hard they tried, though, they couldn't convince the townspeople of their innocence, and they were driven out into the wilds.

"No one really knows what happened to them. Years passed, but no record of the hunter ever showed he returned. Some say he died in the Tundra, others say he still lives in one of the caves with those Barioth-kids, and still some believe he's actually become the devil's right-hand man. Somehow, though, the bad weather passed with their departure, and the people rejoiced at having saved themselves. That is, until another cold spell hit the town.

"This one was even worse than the last, bringing death and ruin to the entire village. Many people evacuated to avoid perishing, while others refused to leave their hometown. I was lucky enough to have been one of those who ran; my dad -a veteran hunter in his own right- took Frost and me to Hearth before the village was frozen over. Still, to those who stayed, a far worse fate came to them.

"Some say it was the ghost of the hunter they had driven out all those years before. Others, that it was like an army from hell came upon the village. When the spell ended, and some of the villagers returned to the remains of Kalvata… and found that everyone else was dead. Not by freezing to death, but by sword wounds. One of them had even been sliced clean in half! It was like… like some kind of reaper came upon them and just devastated the whole town. There was only one survivor, and he died soon after due to his injuries, but when he was asked who did this to them, he only gave one response…"

"The White Devil."

Wes had been on the edge of his seat for almost the entire tale, and when Snow finished he felt as though it was one of the greatest he had ever heard in his life. The hunter sat back a little and stretched, having been so intent on listening that he hadn't moved in… who knows how long, though the fact that the sky was beginning to redden outside meant it must've been a long time.

"Geez, you sure know how to tell one hell of a story, Snow," he stated, shifting a little in his seat. "So, you and Frost are survivors from Kalvata? How old were you when that all went down… that 'White Devil' part?"

"I was… I think I was seventeen. After all of that, though, our dad died, so we had to travel around a lot to make ends meet. Just me and Frost… We both became full-fledged hunters when we were eighteen, and eventually we got a message asking us to come to Loc Lac to join the Master Corps. After that, well, here I am."

"That's definitely one heck of a tale… Not sure if I believe the whole 'Barioth-kid' thing, but for some reason I don't think that would surprise me much."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"See, my pa was a great hunter way back when; still is now, actually. He'd tell me stories about how he went off on hunts with his friends and my ma, and all the adventures they had… Some of them were borderline fantasy, even. He told me that there was a time that he had to fight his old friend after slaying an elder dragon, because the dragon _possessed his dead friend's body._ I know, pretty crazy, right? But get this; he was never more serious about a tale than that one. He almost sounded sad at the mention of it all. It's the one story I can without a doubt say I believe in wholeheartedly, so yes. Barioth people are not the weirdest things I'll have heard about."

"Hah, sounds like your dad's a great person," Snow laughed. "I'd love to share stories with him sometime, that's for sure. But we got kinda off track with the whole story thing, didn't we? Where are you from, Wes? Moga Village?"

"Yeah, the last stop the _Righteous Law _made when it was picking us up," Wes answered. "Lived there all my life, but my parents took me out to Loc Lac a couple times, mostly to visit my uncle or my grandparents. I've also seen almost every hunting ground there is, except for the Misty Peaks. I'm really hoping I get a job assignment out there sometime, or when I'm off work next I can take a Harvest Tour in the area."

"It's actually really nice there, but I really can't describe it to you; it's something you have to see for yourself to be impressed by. You mentioned having family in Loc Lac?"

"Sorta… Aunts and Uncles, and also my grandparents on my ma's side. I haven't seen them in a while, so maybe I'll pop in and say hi to them next time I have the chance. My uncles both still hunt, so I'm not sure when a good time would be for them, but my grandparents don't do much anymore since they retired."

"Seems like quite the family! What about your dad's side? Any grandparents there, or have they passed away?"

"Y'know, I never met them before. My Pa told me that his father- my grandfather on his side- passed a sword down to him as a sort of inheritance when he was younger, but he never told me any stories about him other than that one. I never heard about my grandmother, either… He had to have had parents, but I've never seen or heard about them."

"Huh, too bad. Maybe there's some way you can trace your lineage back?"

"Hah, and maybe I'll be able to relive their memories someday! Yeah, it's probably not gonna happen. Still, maybe I will find out one day, just not one day soon."

"If everything happened immediately, life would be awfully short," Snow laughed, which Wes joined in agreement. After a few more minutes, their meals arrived, and the two eagerly dug in, finishing the food in what seemed like seconds.

"Hoo boy, nothing like a well done meal to go with a long talk," Wes said, dropping his fork onto his plate. "How was that Lagiacrus tail?"

"It was great, actually. How about your steaks?"

"Eh… Coulda been better. Somehow the cook managed to make one part rare, one part well done, and another part burnt," he replied, sticking his knife into a large burnt piece of meat. "I opted out of that part."

"Hopefully they can get some tips someday, huh?"

"Hopefully," Wes said, glancing up as the waitress placed the bill before him. He eyed the prices on the meals as he made his way down the slip, his breath practically catching in his throat as he saw the enormous cost the dinner was.

"God _damn…"_

* * *

_**Author Notes: **Ah, another happy chapter! This one was actually a relatively quick write, despite it being a bit longer than the previous "plot" chapters. Still, I feel it turned out quite well, especially the supposed 'date' I'm sure you all were looking forward to so much. Pulled a fast one on you all, huh? Yeah, expect those kinds of things to be common; this is a very well thought out plot, after all! I expect you all to be confused about a few things, at least! Don't worry, though; everything will be answered in time. _

_Speaking of time, I've decided that in order to more efficiently resupply my store of chapters, I'm going to switch to a biweekly release schedule to give myself more time to write between releases. I know this may come as a disappointment to you all, but hey, it's a necessity. Don't want me to fall behind, right? Not to worry, this'll only last until I get a couple in reserve. Well, don't forget to leave a review of what you thought, and I'll see you all next time!_

**_Playing:_**_MH3U, Assassin's Creed 3_

**_Listening to:_**_The Offspring, Paramore_

**_Watching:_ **_20 Animals that Will Kill You_

**_Reading:_**_The Official Dictionary of Sarcasm, The Lost Civilization: DLC_


	11. Heavy Metal

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 11- Heavy Metal

"Hot damn, this is probably the most people I've ever seen in one place before!" Viper said, scanning the massive, slow moving crowd as he, Frost, and Snow made their way to Loc Lac's arena, one of the largest structures in the city aside from the tower.

For the past week, rumors had been circulating around that there would be a arena spectacle featuring members of the Master Corps, which was finally confirmed by both the Guild and Balestra two days prior. What and who would be involved was kept secret from most of them, though Wes had revealed to the archer that he was one of the hunters they had picked. The golden eyed archer had only seen fit to inform Frost and Snow of this, since the masked hunter never actually said anything and his sister was good at keeping secrets.

"I didn't realize just how many people would show up," Snow commented, glancing about excitedly. "I never took part in an arena hunt before, aside from the hunter's exam, and there weren't nearly as many people watching then."

"Ah, so you're new to the crowds?" the archer laughed. "What about you, Frost? Ever shown the world what you can do?"

The long sword user replied with a short grunt and a subtle shrug, which Viper only assumed meant no.

"I guess we never really got the arena scene that much," the short sword wielder said. "I just don't think it's as rewarding to fight something in a set environment, especially when it's been caged up for who knows how long."

"I can respect that, but just think of the crowds cheering you on at every move you make! Every close call, each wound you deal the monster, and they roar in excitement! I can only imagine how much Wes'll enjoy this."

"Speaking of which, where is he? You'd think he'd have wanted to walk to the arena with us at least."

"He's probably just prepping his gear. Who knows, maybe they have a grand entrance planned!"

"Balestra probably has a whole speech planned out for this too. I'll bet he's gonna set a world record for how many people he can put to sleep at one time," the huntress joked.

"Hah, I'll make a bet with you: if everyone around us falls asleep, you owe me fifty gold."

"What? That's not fair, I'm the one who said it!"

"Since when did we have to be fair with our bets?" Viper replied, smirking as the short sword wielder shot him an irritated glare.

"Alright, bow boy, no need to bring that up again. I said I was sorry, didn't I?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna use that against you all the time now!"

"Oh, well, look who it is!" The three turned to see that the Gem Sisters had joined them as they made their way towards the arena. Emerald was giving Viper an angry glare, crossing her arms as she walked beside him. "And how's the little snake holding up?"

"Better ever since I whooped you in a fair contest, garden head," the golden eyed archer replied, leading the green haired huntress and himself into another heated verbal brawl.

"Hey, where's Wes at?" Sapphire asked, glancing around for the dual sword wielder. "He's usually with you three, right?"

"Saph, we've been over this, he's one of the hunters they picked," Ruby sighed. "Don't you even listen when I say these things?"

"I try to, but then you just go on and on and on, and then I kinda zone out. You really should try to explain things more simply if you want people to hear you."

"Simple's always good..." Amethyst added, causing Ruby to rub her temples in irritation. The purple haired huntress turned her gaze upwards, seeing that she was now walking beside Frost. "What do you look like below that helmet...?"

"Just imagine me as a guy, and there you go!" Snow laughed, drawing a giggle from Sapphire and another sigh from Ruby.

"Sometimes I wonder why I'm friends with you people," the red haired woman stated dryly, walking ahead of the group slightly. "Hopefully this arena quest will be worth it..."

"Wait just a sec," Viper said, turning to the Gem Sisters. "How do you know Wes is in the hunt?"

"You aren't the only ones with inside knowledge, little snake!" Emerald retorted, cutting off whatever response Ruby was about to say. "Besides, does it really matter? It's not like we went and spoiled the surprise to everyone. Unlike a certain _somebody."_

"Do you really want to start something here?" Ruby asked. "Save it until after the arena, would you?"

* * *

"So, the long awaited day has finally come..."

"Sir, we have your escort ready. We should be on our way to the arena now."

Balestra turned away from the window, where he had spent the last few minutes gazing out into the busy streets below as a steady flood of people made their way towards the arena, and faced the two officers standing at attention before his desk.

"What is the status of Gear Rex?"

"We had Sir Lyle and the rest of the Security Department assist the Research team in moving it through the tunnel," Trance replied. "It's in the arena now, though it won't awaken until after we arrive; at least, if we're on time."

"Very good. Mr. Corrin, have the hunters been gathered in the airfields?"

"Yes, Sir," the officer replied. "The ship is going through its last checks now, though I informed them you intended to speak with them before the event."

"Good. Mr. Trance, Mr. Corrin, to me. Let us be on our way."

The Corps Head stepped away from the window and briskly strode to the door, flanked by the two red-uniformed men as they made their way out of the Corps HQ. As they departed the building, the Corps Head turned and began to make his way to the airfields, followed closely by the two Corps officers. It only took them a minute to find the four hunters, seated on crates and barrels outside of the airship and talking amongst themselves. Upon noticing his approach, they ceased their discussion and focused on the Corps Head.

"I see you have all had ample time to prepare for this day," Balestra began, folding his hands behind his back as he always did. "As I'm certain you all understand, in order to display the flexibility between Corps members, we have chosen you specifically, as not one of you has been paired with each other on a previous assignment. None of you have been informed of the creature you will be facing either, which is meant to portray your adaptability to unknown circumstances. You are expected to have used all the time you needed to prepare yourselves physically and materialistically, but now you must steel yourselves mentally. You must show no fear, no uncertainty, no cowardice.

"This event is possibly the most important task you have ever been asked of while under my command. You are examples to the whole of Loc Lac, and you must display exactly what kind of mettle those in the Master Corps are made of. This is as much of a hunt as it is a show for the people of this city, and they will want to see precisely what it is that makes the Corps so significant. Do not disappoint me, do not disappoint the Guild, and do not disappoint the city. There is a standard you are expected to live up to, and I expect complete cooperation among you. Now, I wish you all the best of luck, and I bid you good day."

Trance noted that two of the hunters had practically fallen asleep during the speech, though they shook themselves awake at its conclusion. Balestra didn't seem to notice or care, though, and having said his piece the man departed, followed after by the two Corps officers. They were greeted by an entourage of ten Guild officers near the gates of the Corps grounds, standing at attention and ready to escort them to the arena. Balestra motioned to them to begin moving as he passed, and the Guild members moved into position around them as they left the grounds. The pedestrians in the streets moved out of the way of the escorts as the group made its way towards the arena.

"Certainly are a lot of people coming to watch," Trance remarked, eyeing the masses around them.

"Well, what can you expect?" Corrin replied. "Not only is this a showing of the Master Corps and how it operates, it's the unveiling of an entirely new creature. That'd be more than enough to attract most of the city, if not all of it."

"You are correct in that regard, Mr. Corrin," Balestra said, keeping his gaze fixated on the path ahead of them. "The prospect of an arena hunt attracts many people by itself, and the added factors only pique the curiosity of the masses more. Though this is not entirely meant to entertain the people, either."

"What do you mean by that, Sir?"

"What I mean, Mr. Corrin, is that if and when the hunters I assigned to partake in this endeavor succeed, it will prove once and for all to the Guild that the Corps is everything I predicted it would be. It will cement our status as an elite organization dedicated to the betterment of the hunting world, and eliminate any lingering suspicions of our work.

"As of now, the Corps is already known throughout the city as the spearhead of new hunting tactics, as well as the driving force in scientific development. Mr. Joshua and his research team have made tremendous progress with studies relating to the past civilizations of this country, the development of new weapons and armors, and, most recently, the secrets held within the magma rubies.

"Our hunters have also verified the existences of four monsters previously known only in legend: the Lucent Nargacuga, the Goldbeard Ceadeus, the Hallowed Jhen Mohran, and the Abyssal Lagiacrus. Of these, one of them was slain by Master Corps hunters alone, and the other three were successfully repelled or killed by Corps members and an additional Guild hunter. In these regards, we've gained the acknowledgement of the Guild hierarchy, the research departments of the city, and the hunters across the country."

"So, basically, this is the Corps' final exam?" Trance asked.

"In short, yes. The success of today will act as the 'coming of age' for the Corps. All that is left to do now is watch as the pieces fall together..."

* * *

"Geez, I thought he'd never shut up," Wes yawned, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. After having to hear so many of the Corp Head's speeches, he'd trained himself to be able to sleep with his eyes open.

The dual blade wielder had found those he was paired with to be easy enough to get along with, so he was fairly certain that no matter what they had to face, they could make short work of it.

To his far left sat a hunting horn user named Jerome. Wes had seen him around several times before, but the hunter had been paired with Frost and Snow more often than anything, so the dual blade wielder had failed to acquaint himself with the ancient armor clad hunter. Now that they were actually conversing, Wes could tell that he was probably the one best suited to the 'straight man' role, being relatively calm about everything, but not above cracking a joke or two.

Between Wes and Jerome stood a bowgunner by the name of Grant. His weapon of choice was a large, yet lightweight Azure Rathalos gun, and he saw fit to garb himself in a full set of Brachydios armor. He was a rather cynical person as well, flatly telling the others off if they ever made a remotely nonsensical remark. If anyone could find a mistake in a perfect plan, it would be him.

And lastly, sitting uncomfortably close to Wes' right was the long sword wielding huntress Katrina. She hadn't originally lived in this country, instead hailing from Minegarde far to the northwest. As such, she was armed with equipment native to that region: a (rather revealing) suit of armor crafted from a beast known as a Kirin, and an iron sword she called the 'Devil Slicer'. The best way Wes could describe her was bubbly, considering how excitable her personality was, as almost everything made her giggle or laugh to some degree, a trait which some might consider rather cute.

Normally, these factors would have left the blue- and green-eyed hunter as a stammering mess, but after his 'date' with Snow, the white haired huntress had agreed to offer Wes some tips on how to interact with women, something he had graciously accepted. That was certainly paying off well now, considering Katrina's blatant attraction to him.

"I hear you. I'm almost wondering if Balestra plans those speeches before he gives them," Jerome stated, shifting the large flute weapon on his back into a more comfortable position. "They seem too long to not have been practiced."

"Doesn't really matter if he does or not, considering he gives them anyways," Grant said bluntly.

"They are pretty repetitive, sure, but personally I can't wait to see what we're gonna hunt!" Katrina laughed eagerly. "Just think: we're tackling something that no one has ever seen! How could that not be exciting?"

"Kinda brings up the question of how they got this mystery monster into the city though," Wes pointed out. "Someone had to have brought it here, right?"

"Maybe it was one of those confidential missions everyone whispers about," the hunting horn wielder replied. "I heard from my buddy Harlin that every so often a group of hunters goes out without telling anyone why, and that when they come back they don't say a word about it."

"Hmm... Like secret agents!" the long sword wielder said excitedly.

"No. Not like that," Grant sighed irately; Katrina's personality seemed to clash with his the most. "It doesn't really matter to us, since all we gotta do is kill whatever they send our way."

"True that. This is gonna be awesome!" Wes grinned, eagerly anticipating the hunt ahead.

"Y'know Wes, you're kinda cute when you get excited," Katrina giggled, inching a little closer to him.

_Okay, what was it that Snow said to respond to that with..._ "Uh, thanks, Kat. You too...?" His response, though awkward, practically made the huntress squeal in joy, and with an unexpected bear hug she tackled Wes off the crate he was seated on. Jerome burst out laughing at the sight, and even Grant cracked a smile as Wes yelped in surprise.

"Okay, okay, that's enough," the dual blade wielder said, managing to free himself from the long sword wielder's grasp. _I think that was good... Right?_

"Oi, hunters! It's time for take-off!" the airship pilot yelled from the deck, catching the group's attention. "Get on board, we've got a schedule to stick with!"

Wes got to his feet and brushed the sand off of himself as the four made their way to the airship. The motors on its sides hummed loudly and steadily, but as they climbed into the cabin and the doors shut behind them, the noise was reduced to a slight drone. They each strapped a parachute to their backs and took seats on top of painted red "X" marks.

"Guess they want a flashy drop," Grant mumbled, eyeing the mark before sitting on it. "Seems like way too much effort just to show off what the Corps is. Why not just have us, I dunno, walk into the arena like regular people?"

"'Cuz we aren't regular people; we're the best goddamn hunters in the city!" the blue- and green-eyed hunter replied with a confident grin.

"**Alright, prepare for lift off! We'll be going slower than average, so you don't have to tense up too much. The plan is that we're gonna loop around three times, and then drop you once Sir Balestra's speech is over. Relax until then, and be ready for a real hunt!"**

The familiar pressure of the airship leaving the ground filled the cabin, though with far less intensity than usual. Wes looked out the window behind him, seeing the massive number of spectators heading through the streets towards the arena.

_This'll be the greatest fight of my life... And I'm gonna make it a good one!_

* * *

Balestra ascended a long, wide flight of stairs leading up to the announcer's booth at the top of the arena. Two high ranking Guild officers noticed as he drew near and moved aside to allow the man to pass.

"Ah, well if'n it ain't the head o' the Master Corps!" The crimson eyed man turned his gaze to the short wyvernian perched on a table off to his right. He wore a red and gold trimmed outfit befitting his role as Guildmaster of Loc Lac, with a large metallic brooch depicting the hunter's Guild logo buttoned to the left of his shirt. "Seems you've been makin' quite the splash wit' this ol' organization of yers, Balestra."

"As I had predicted, yes, the Corps has been everything I envisioned," the man replied stoically. "I do believe that will be proven here today, Mr. Calistro."

"Lookin' forward to it," the wyvernian replied, turning to face the arena below. The stadium was rapidly filling with spectators, be it hunters, Guild members, shopkeepers, and pedestrians alike.

"We are not the only ones, it would seem." The Corps Head again turned his gaze, this time to the elderly, stern woman to his left. She had long red robes on, with golden seams and adornments crossing her sleeves at the cuffs. A golden piece of cloth wrapped around her shoulders and upper back as well, upon which the symbol of the city was emblazoned. Balestra knew this woman all too well: she was the head of Loc Lac's city council.

"Ms. Pluvine, I am pleased you could attend," the crimson eyed man said to her, though his monotonous tone belied his sincerity. "I assume the rest of the council will be here as well."

"In the crowds, yes. They will inspect the fight from every angle to ensure you have not orchestrated a simple play for us to watch," the woman explained, slowly making her way to the same large window pane Calistro was gazing out of.

"Such things are below me, Ms. Pluvine. I'm certain you should know this by now, especially after the length of time we've been discussing this event. It has been ten years since we first began to discuss this, was it not?"

"Yes, it has been, and in all this time I still have my doubts of your endeavors," the council head replied, turning to face him. "I do hope that you can earn my trust by the end of today."

"There is nothing to fear about my intentions. I only seek to ensure we as a people can thrive in this changing world."

"And those "changes" have been brought about mostly because of your Master Corps, Sir Balestra. But I digress, perhaps your intentions are sound and your word is true. For now, though, let us watch what your hunters are capable off, hmm?"

Looking out the window, Balestra eyed the black silhouette of the Master Corps airship nearing the stadium. Without another word, he strode past the two and took his place by the announcer's speaker, clearing his throat and taking a small rectangular device out of the announcer's hand. A small wired circle on the front of it could be spoken into when activated, allowing the speaker's voice to be projected through a number of locations around the stadium. He gave one more look at the other two seated in the booth before flipping the switch on the device.

"Good day, citizens of Loc Lac. I am Sir Balestra, founder and Head of the Master Corps. As I am certain you all are aware by now, the Corps has been a driving force in the advancement of both the city's and the entire country's hunting standards. Be it the development of new weapons and armors for hunters to use or the discovery of beasts thought only to exist in legends, we are the ones who lead the march into the future of our nation.

"I sought the foundation of the Corps for ten long years, fervently pursuing a goal others deemed too costly, too difficult, too… unrealistic. Yet, at the end of it all, I achieved what I intended from the start: an organization made up of the finest hunters this country has to offer, able to tackle any task that befalls them.

"Today, the Hunter's Guild, the City Council, and we at the Master Corps have seen fit to demonstrate to you all just exactly what it is that has raised such an uproar in the city as of late. Before your very eyes, an entirely unknown creature will emerge, and a group of four of our finest hunters will descend to challenge it. These hunters have never worked together before today, yet their teamwork will show that time matters little in the face of pure skill and talent. Now… turn your gazes skyward, and watch as these hunters display the mettle of the Master Corps."

* * *

"**Alright, you four! Get ready! Opening the hatch… NOW!"**

The floor of the cabin flipped away, leaving the hunters within suspended in the air for a moment. With an eager grin, Wes grabbed the window frame behind him and flipped himself over so that his feet were positioned on the ceiling. The hunter kicked off immediately, shooting past the other three as they began their descents to the stadium below. The rush of the wind and the roar of the crowd upon seeing them only caused the dual blade wielder's grin to stretch further.

As he neared the arena floor, he rolled in midair to right himself and pulled the string of his chute, unfurling the white cloth sail above him. His descent slowed rapidly, but when he was about ten feet off the ground he unstrapped the chute from his back, falling the remaining distance to the sandy earth below and landing in a crouch with a heavy _thud_. The crowd roared even louder as the other hunters landed a few moments after, and Wes got to his feet, pulling his hood up as he did.

_This… This is exactly what I expected! _he thought to himself, gazing around at the cheering spectators around the arena. The stadium was even bigger from the ground within than it had seemed from the skies above, where the hunters could see the entire structure. The others spared a few glances around as well: Jerome had a calm but somewhat anxious expression, while Grant kept a straight face partially hidden behind his helm, and Katrina was clearly enjoying the crowd around them, laughing and smiling at their fans.

Wes' view landed on the bottommost row of the stands before them, where he noticed most of the other Corps members seated, cheering their comrades on even louder than the rest of the spectators. The dual blade wielder thought he could see Viper, Frost, and Snow seated in the front row, though with the distance between them and the sand the hunters had kicked up with their landing, he couldn't be sure. He turned away upon hearing the noise of large gears and chains moving, and the massive door opposite them began to swing open.

"Guess this is it, eh?" Grant asked wryly, pulling his bowgun out and loading a few Flame Shots into it.

"Let's show 'em what we're made of!" Wes said, drawing his two scimitars and brandishing them at his sides. Katrina and Jerome likewise pulled their weapons from their sheaths and took up position in a straight line facing the slowly widening gap between the two large gates.

"Now that we've met our hunters, let's see what this mystery beast they'll be facing is!" a voice seemed to boom around the entire stadium. It was probably the announcer trying to hype the crowd up more, though with the level of enthusiasm the fans were already displaying it seemed he would have an easy job today. "Little to nothing is known about this beast, only that its appearance suggests even the simplest of beasts can become juggernauts of destruction! Completely shrouded in mystery, and never before seen until today! Folks, feast your eyes on the creature known as... GEAR REX!"

The crowd cheered even louder as a large, bipedal creature stomped into the arena, actually making the four gasp. This monster was completely different from anything they had ever seen before. It had a large, flat head that slanted downwards at the front, with powerful jaws ending in a number of spikes. Similar protrusions lined its back and narrow tail, only further adding to its menacing appearance. A single row of jagged teeth lined its mouth, and a pair of hooked horns adorned the sides of its head. A pair of stubby arms were attached to its tan underbelly, while the beast's legs were far larger. Each was a mass of muscle and claw, with each foot having four digits, two larger between two smaller. A long spiked talon extended from the monster's "knee" to help support itself. The most striking feature, though, was a long, red tipped appendage the extended over its right shoulder like a cannon, despite it looking like a very misplaced tail. A strange red liquid dripped onto the sand below from the end of the appendage, hissing as it struck the floor. The beast stood about seven or eight meters off the ground, towering above the hunters below.

"What the hell is this thing?" Jerome muttered, bringing his hunting horn around in front of himself. "A brute wyvern, maybe?"

"I don't know what kinda name 'Gear Rex' is, but I know one thing for sure," the dual blade wielder replied, raising his swords before himself. "We're gonna bring it down! Let's dance!"

As if in response to Wes' shout, the creature reared its head back and let out a loud, resonating roar that sounded like metal screeching against metal. They were far enough away that they didn't have to cover their ears to drown the noise out, but the sheer intensity of the sound still made them all flinch. Wes' grin returned a moment later, and he began a straightforward charge at Gear Rex, followed closely by Katrina and Grant. Jerome stayed back and began playing a series of notes on his hunting horn, stringing them into songs. The conclusion of the first made Wes feel much stronger, as if the properties of the music had seeped into his muscles.

Grant split off from Wes and Kat, making his way off to the right to get a clear shot on the beast with his bowgun. As the two blademasters approached, the creature leveled its 'cannon' at them, and Wes noticed that it was beginning to tense up, almost as if...

"Dodge, now!" Wes immediately leapt to the side, while Katrina mirrored his move and split up from his side. No sooner had they done so than a thin blast of red substance shot out from Gear Rex's appendage, searing the ground between them as the liquid burned into the earth.

"It's acidic! Keep an eye out for that blast!" Kat shouted to the others as she recovered and eyed the hissing red liquid that was seeping into the blackened ground; it had completely incinerated the sand about four inches down, and was still smoking.

Wes had noted that as well, but had recovered much more quickly than the huntress had on account of his lighter weapons. He closed the distance between himself and the beast, but the creature reared its head again, this time lunging its spiked jaw at him. The hunter instinctively twisted to the side, barely avoiding the nearest of Gear Rex's spikes by a hair's breath, and launched himself forward at the beast. Dropping into a slide, Wes slashed wildly at the mutated behemoth's legs and underbelly, scoring four shallow hits on it as he passed before rolling to a stop and darting away.

Kat had caught up by then, swinging her Devil Slicer into Gear Rex's right side. The blade cut through the scaly hide effortlessly, but found resistance in cutting deeply, so she pulled away to swing again, pale bolts of electricity dancing across her sword as she swiftly cut into the creature. Grant had begun firing as well, scoring a few hits with his rapid fire flame shots. The beast screeched as the hunters repeatedly wounded it, but did something none of them were expecting. Tensing up its legs, the monster launched itself through the air, easily sailing several dozen feet above their heads. It almost landed directly on top of the bowgunner, who just barely managed to throw himself out of the way in time to avoid being crushed, or worse, impaled by the massive spikes on the beast's legs.

"Son of a bitch!" Grant cussed as he pushed himself to his feet, turning sharply and firing a trio of flame shots directly into the side of Gear Rex's head. The beast turned, seemingly unfazed, and attempted to crush the man between its massive jaws. He just barely managed to hop away in time, moving away as fast as he could to put more distance between himself and the mutated behemoth. Wes and Katrina were already charging at the creature again, while Jerome was playing the last notes of another buffing song. This one filled Wes and the others with energy; the dual blade wielder felt as though he could run for miles and not show the slightest hint of exhaustion.

As they neared the creature, though, it began to shake its back wildly, dislodging a number of bony spikes and flinging them at the pair! Katrina moved out of the way to avoid getting hit by them, but Wes kept his pace, charging straight towards the incoming projectiles. With the stamina boost the hunting horn player had given them, Wes activated Demon Mode, enveloping himself in a reddish aura of pure energy.

The spikes drew ever nearer, but the hunter was ready for them now, sliding to a halt for a moment to prepare himself. Tightening his focus on the projectiles, time seemed to slow to a crawl for him, the bony spikes slowing in their descent. Lining up his swings perfectly, Wes began slicing the projectiles apart with his scimitars, blows that seemed normal to him but were lightning fast to anyone else watching.

The first spike was heading for his left shoulder, but both halves flew past him harmlessly as his blade rang with the sound of steel against bone. The next half dozen spikes were sliced in a similar manner, heading towards different body parts but all being deflected just as easily. Wes cut the last spike in half with both swords in downward diagonal swings, slicing it in a "X" shape as a few small shards of the projectiles flew past him, the larger chunks sticking in the ground behind him.

Ending Demon Mode and allowing his perception to return to normal, Wes noticed two things: the feeling that both of the musical boosts he had gotten were gone, and that the crowd was going hysterical after witnessing what he had just pulled off. He afforded himself a wide grin before turning his attention back to the mutated behemoth before him.

* * *

"Holy shit! Did you see that?!" Viper asked incredulously, laughing in amazement at what Wes had just pulled off.

"I saw it, but I don't think I can believe it!" Snow replied, equally impressed. "He's never done something like that before!"

The pair were seated at the bottom row of the arena, a good twenty meters above the stadium floor. Frost sat idly beside his sister with his arms crossed, staring intently at the battle as it unfolded before them. The Gem Sisters were seated beside them, with Viper sitting between Snow and Sapphire. Most of them were cheering at the fight as well, especially the blue haired huntress.

"That was the fastest I've ever seen anyone move!" the short sword wielder said in awe, her eyes practically sparkling in admiration.

"Only question is if he can keep that up," Emerald remarked, doing her best to hide her own surprise at the dual blade wielder's almost supernatural ability. "There has to be some downside to pulling off a maneuver like that."

"Whatever it is, he doesn't look to be showing it," Ruby stated, not seeming at all excited or pleased at the sight. "It was probably just a fluke, a stroke of good luck."

"That's what you said when he survived the explosion…" Amethyst muttered, her gaze fixated on the hunt against the strange creature. "No one is _that _lucky…"

_I can tell that wasn't luck… _Snow thought to herself, returning her attention to the fight as well. She'd seen Wes' moves on hunts enough to know that despite the increasingly impressive feats he could pull off, there was always something else he could surprise you with. Sure, he may act a bit too show offy time and time again, but there was undeniable talent in him gained through years of practice.

Wes had explained his own life in Moga to her after their "date" a week before hand, which only served to further astound Snow. The training he had gone through when he was barely in his teens were things that could've put a veteran hunter in a hospital if they weren't careful. Yet the dual blade wielder simply laughed them off, saying "It wasn't that bad" or something along those lines.

After their initial ice breaker though, Snow had found Wes to actually be a pretty good conversationalist when he wasn't flustered. For once she felt she could discuss most anything with someone else aside from Frost, and while she didn't harbor any romantic feelings for him she eventually came to see Wes as something of a younger brother, which she hadn't ever felt for anyone before. Seeing him do so well during the fight brought a small bit of pride to her, even if she didn't really have much to do with his skills in that regard.

_Still... He'd better be careful with this thing_. _Who knows what else it could do to him or the others if they aren't careful..._

"Hey, Snow! Don't zone out on us here, the fight's just getting good!" Viper said, poking her with his elbow to gain her attention.

"Oh, sorry, I was just thinking about something," she replied, flashing a quick smile. She returned her gaze to the fight below, watching intently as Wes began to rush towards the beast again.

* * *

As the dual blade wielder neared the others, he took note of what his teammates were doing. Grant had been keeping up a steady barrage of flame and normal shots on the creature, managing to angle his higher-end ammo in a way that it ricocheted from its initial impact point and into another section of the monster, dealing twice as much damage with each shot. Katrina had also closed the distance between her and Gear Rex, attacking its flank with her long sword. Jerome played one more song, a defensive buff, before beginning to join the fray as well.

Wes joined the huntress in attacking the monster's legs while Jerome neared its head, leveling his weapon to strike the beast's face. Before he could get too close though, the mutated behemoth began stomping its legs madly, knocking both Wes and Kat away from its sides and forcing Jerome back as it charged towards him. The two hunters were mostly unharmed by the unexpected attack, as the shockwaves were what sent them flying. Wes recovered quickly, rolling over backwards to his feet and sheathing one of his swords. He reached into his pouch and pulled out a throwing knife coated in Bindshroom extract, flinging the metal blade at Gear Rex. It found its mark in the side of the mutated creature's head, though there wasn't nearly enough on that one knife to immobilize it. He did succeed in gaining the beast's attention, though; the grey-hided monster turned to face the hunter as he held his arms out in a mocking manner.

"Come on, you giant piece of garbage! I'm right here; try and hit me!"

The taunt seemed to hit home as the beast launched another volley of spikes at him. He dodged past them, allowing instinct to take over completely as he weaved around the bony projectiles and made his way towards the beast. When he was a few steps from Gear Rex, he again activated Demon Mode, slicing one of the projectiles in half and causing one of them to jam into the ground before him, the flattened end facing up. With the superior strength and agility he summoned, the hunter leapt onto the spike and threw his whole body into an upwards jump, bringing himself level to the creature's head as he slowed his perception down again. There was a greater strain on him this time since he didn't have the enhanced stamina Jerome's song provided, but he still forced himself to do so. With the one sword he still held, the blue- and green-eyed hunter dealt a series of seven slashes to Gear Rex's jaw and face, severing a few of the spikes around its chin and breaking some of its teeth. He finished his assault by driving his foot into the surprised monster's head, kicking off and flipping in midair as he fell.

Upon landing, Wes found himself nearly blacking out from the strain Demon Mode had exacted on him, dropping into a crouch supported by his right sword as he clutched his forehead.

_Bah... Can't do that again without a dash juice or something..._ He shook his head a few times and forced himself back to his feet, pulling an energy drink from his pouch and downing the contents of the yellow bottle. He immediately felt his energy return, and he gazed at the scene unfolding before him.

Grant had switched to some higher caliber rounds, firing crag shots at the back of Gear Rex's legs. Wes could tell he intended to break one of the supporting spikes in the mutated behemoth's legs, but was having little success in doing so. Katrina and Jerome had darted between the monster and Wes, attacking its head with their longer reaching weapons. But just as it had done before, the creature leapt away before any serious damage could be done to it. As it jumped away, though, it fired another blast of acid at the hunters, who were forced to split up again to evade the beam.

As it landed, the monster reared its head and let out its horrible metallic roar, causing them all to clutch their ears painfully as the sound reached them. That wasn't all the roar did, though; Wes noticed one of the bone spikes still stuck in the ground begin to vibrate as the creature's call continued. None of the hunters had any time to react as the spikes suddenly burst into pieces, knocking them all flying in a rain of shrapnel! Wes landed hard on his side from the blast, but quickly rolled back up, his armor having stopped most of the shards from wounding him.

"This thing doesn't move or fight the way normal monsters do!" Jerome shouted, forcing himself to his feet. "We don't know if it's got any more tricks up its sleeve, so keep an eye out for any different tells!"

The hunting horn wielder began to charge at Gear Rex again, while Kat trailed a few feet behind him, ready to follow up on his attack. Wes pulled a few more paralysis knives out and made his way to the creature's flank, where he would have an easier time making accurate throws. Grant loaded some high grade normal rounds into his bowgun and, seeing Wes' position, moved to the opposite flank on the behemoth's right side.

The four hunters launched their attacks simultaneously. Jerome slammed his hunting horn down onto the creature's skull while Grant opened fire on its underbelly. Wes threw a pair of knives into its side one after the other, and the hunting horn wielder leapt to the side as Katrina brought her long sword around, intending to slice the beast's neck.

Before she could, though, Gear Rex suddenly opened its jaw wide and clamped down on her blade! With a startled yelp she tried to yank the sword free, but it was fruitless; the monster's powerful jaw easily overpowered the huntress.

With a sickening 'crack' Kat found herself falling onto her back side, and looking up she saw that there was only about a foot of her blade left. The mutated behemoth roared as it flung the remaining length of blade away, the sharpened tip sticking in the ground nearby a crate on the ground. The huntress barely managed to turn her gaze up at the beast as it leveled its acid cannon at her, intending to douse her in the corrosive liquid...

But it never came.

Even before her blade had snapped, Wes had already pulled a rope dart out of his pouch, and flung the sharpened end at the tip of the monster's appendage before it could act! The rope snapped around the appendage twice before digging into the red tinted hide around the tip. The dual blade wielder pulled a fourth paralytic knife from his pouch and threw it just as the confused creature glanced at him, striking it right in the base of its neck. The last knife did the trick, causing Gear Rex to spasm uncontrollably as it lost control of its muscles. With all the strength he could muster up, Wes yanked the appendage to the side with the thick rope, planting the weighted end he held deep into the ground with an accompanying metal spike, stretching the rope tautly.

The hunter didn't stop there, though; using the dart as a tightrope, he ran up the length towards the monster, keeping balance by holding his arms out to his sides. The crowd roared even louder, seeing yet another one of Wes' feats occurring. The hunter planted his foot on the tip of the appendage before flipping off the acid cannon and twisting in midair, drawing both of his scimitars in the process. He dealt a number of slashes to Gear Rex's back as he sailed over it, breaking several of its spikes as he went. The last slash he made cut deeply into its lower back, blood flinging off Wes' sword as it traveled through scale and hide. The hunter landed deftly on all fours, sliding to a stop several feet behind the wounded creature.

Grant and Jerome likewise had been attacking the mutated behemoth, which seemed to have already overcome its paralysis despite the power of the extract on Wes' throwing knives. Kat retrieved the rest of her long sword, sliding the broken blade into her sheath with a disappointed look. Wes came to a stop nearby her, and the huntress offered him a hand up.

"I think we're in good shape to finish this guy off," Wes said, taking her hand and getting up. "It might take a big hit to put it down though."

"I already have a plan!" Kat replied, a devious smile crossing her face. "You know the stores of barrel bombs they keep in the towers around here?"

"Yeah, what about-" Wes glanced at the nearest one, fully grasping what the huntress was getting at. There were four wooden structures surrounding the arena, each at a different corner. One was used to hold potions, another contained lifepowder, and the third held a number of flash bombs within. The last one, though, was filled with large barrels full of gunpowder. They had sturdy casings, so the bombs wouldn't go off unless they were lit on fire or struck with another explosive, making them perfect traps to set up. However, only two were permitted to be used by a hunter per arena quest, meaning they only had eight total. Still, that would be more than enough to bring Gear Rex down.

"Alright, I'll get it over here! See what you can do about setting up those bombs!" the dual blade wielder shouted, running back to the fray. Jerome and Grant had been doing well enough keeping the mutated behemoth's attention on them, and Jerome had found time between swings of his hunting horn to play another stamina buff, which managed to fully restore all the energy Wes had spent beforehand. He whistled loudly to get the attention of the other two hunters as Jerome backpedaled away from the creature, barely evading another of its unexpected stomping "tantrums".

He motioned for them to move towards the tower Katrina was at while the huntress began to free the explosives from the stand at the base of the structure. The other two seemed to get his message, sheathing their weapons and racing towards the building alongside the dual blade wielder as Gear Rex launched another myriad of spikes at them. All three hunters managed to outrun the projectiles, despite the spikes landing around them as they sprinted away, one of them rebounding off of Grant's left pauldron.

"I'll hold its attention here!" Wes said, sliding to a stop and facing the mutated behemoth. "Grant, Jerome, see if you can't help Kat with the bombs!"

"Yeah, sure. Leave one hunter to fight the giant monster while the others go tug some barrels," Grant scoffed, pulling his bowgun out again. "Nice try, jackass, but we're doing this as a team. Jerome, you help Katrina. Wes, I'll hit it with some poison rounds. With any luck, the toxins and its injuries will daze it enough that we can lure it to the bombs. I'll detonate them with a Cluster round. Try not to get blown up, would you?"

"Bah, fine, just don't shoot me while I'm attacking it!" The dual blade wielder rushed attack the creature again while Grant flanked it, popping a few purple cartridges into his bowgun. Jerome made his way over to the tower to assist Katrina in freeing a few more explosives. When he had showed up, three were already out and ready.

* * *

"A rather ingenuitive bunch, no?" the head councilwoman stated, looking down on the fight below. "Despite her weapon being broken, the young lady didn't panic at all, and is instead putting her efforts into a new attack strategy…"

"And that's not even mentionin' the hooded kid," Calistro added. "Some o' the things he's been pullin' off aren't what ya normally see in a hunter… Gotta say, Balestra, you've got quite the collection of hunters here from th' looks of it."

"I did spend many months gathering the information on these hunters. It should not come as a surprise that they are above average," the crimson eyed man replied, keeping his red eyes fixated on the hunters. "Each one is an individual, and as such each has their own abilities that can help or hinder their teammates. This group, despite not having collaborated before, works well together because of this."

"Well, it would certainly seem that way, hmm?" Ms. Pluvine said, glancing over at the Corps Head. "I am thoroughly impressed by their performance so far, but let us see if they can truly bring Gear Rex down."

"Wouldn't that be one for the record books!" the Guildmaster laughed, slapping his knees excitedly as another impressive feat was pulled off by the dual blade wielder. "That kid's definitely got moves! An' that bowgunner's got a great aim; Normal Shot level three is usually only able to rebound twice if yer lucky. That guy's made it ricochet at least three or four times! And he managed to not hit one of his comrades in th' process!"

"It is only a matter of time before the creature falls. Be patient, and you will see the results I promised you."

* * *

Wes narrowly ducked below Gear Rex's spiked jaw, one of the jagged points managing to graze his armored shoulder. He struck out at the beast's right leg with his right sword, cutting into its thigh, and turned quickly, slashing its ankle with his left sword. He twisted about then, bringing both scimitars up and slashing deep into the creature's underbelly. The mutated behemoth roared in pain before attempting to stomp the hunter, who barely darted out of the way of the creature's support spikes. The shockwave caused by the impact was enough to send him skidding across the ground, though.

Wes recovered quickly, rolling onto his feet from his back and tightening his grip on his swords. Several violet puffs of gas emitted from Gear Rex's side where Grant had landed a few shots on it, causing it to turn towards the Brachydios-clad gunner with its orange eyes filled with rage. At the same time, though, Wes noticed that its pupils looked somewhat glazed over; the combined blood loss it had sustained along with the high level of poison in its system finally seemed to be having an effect on the creature.

A loud whistle drew the pair's attention to Jerome and Kat, who had finally finished setting up the explosives about thirty feet from the tower. Wes and Grant nodded to each other and began making their way towards the explosives, with Wes hanging back to keep its attention with his taunts and mocking gestures.

"C'mon, I eat monstrosities like you for breakfast!" he shouted, earning the enraged creature's gaze again. He slowly backed his way towards the bombs some twenty feet back as the mutated behemoth continued its slow pace towards him.

About ten feet away from the bombs, Gear Rex tensed its tail up; it was going to fire its acid beam at him! Just as the liquid blasted the ground before him, Wes did a sideways flip out of the way, the spray coming dangerously close to his hand as he did so. He landed unharmed, though, turning to see where the others were. He cussed as he saw where the acid beam was heading, though: right towards the bombs! The others were still working on moving away from the blast zone; if that beam hit them, they'd all be blown to pieces!

But just before the beam hit, Jerome stepped in the way, hefting his hunting horn in front of himself like a shield. He intended to block the spray! He braced himself as the red liquid struck the base of his weapon, searing up the weapon and splitting it straight in half. The blast impacted with his leg as well, traveling up his body and over his right shoulder. The hunting horn wielder let out a scream of agony as the acid tore into his armor, knocking him back. Somehow, though, it didn't seem to break through the protective green mail, and the explosives were completely undamaged from the blast.

Katrina quickly ducked over and pulled the badly wounded hunting horn wielder away as Wes lured the creature into position, dodging away just as Gear Rex attempted to strike him with the tip of its acid cannon. He raced away and slid to a stop just as Grant fired a massive round at the beast's head, causing it to flinch and stumble forwards as multiple smaller objects fell from the impact spot. Each one detonated as it hit the ground, causing an immense eruption of gunpowder to explode beneath Gear Rex as the smaller cluster shells set off the larger explosives, shaking the entire arena with the massive blast. The explosion tore into the mutated behemoth's underside and chin, causing it to roar in agony as the blasts incinerated the whole of its underside. Once the explosion ended, the beast stumbled about a bit, trying keep itself upright before finally collapsing to the ground, motionless.

"Now that's what I call having a blast," Wes muttered to himself, sheathing his swords as the spectators in the arena began to cheer louder than they ever had before. At once he looked up, gazing about the arena at all those seated in the stands cheering for the hunters; cheering for _him. _He pulled his hood down and went over to the other hunters; Grant was checking to make sure the beast had truly fallen while Kat was busy trying to help Jerome.

"Why did you do that?!" she shouted, tearing off his chestplate to get a look at the injury below. The acid had burned even the strong metal undermail he wore, no doubt searing the man's chest, abdomen, waist, and leg similarly. The hunting horn wielder merely let out a short, pained chuckle.

"I really hate it when bombs I set up get destroyed too soon…"

"We could have found another way to bring it down, Jerome!"

"I liked this way better…"

A short yelp drew their attention back to Grant, who had barely leapt back to evade the grounded creature's jaws. Gear Rex was still alive! It was struggling to return to its feet, glaring angrily at the hunters as several ragged growls escaped its mouth. Thinking quickly, Wes drew his scimitars and rushed at the mutated behemoths before it could fully push itself up. It still had complete control over its acid cannon, though, which it leveled at the fast approaching hunter. The appendage began to tense as the liquid pulsed through it, but it wasn't nearly as fast this time.

Before the blast could come, the blue- and green-eyed hunter dodged around it to the left and slashed both swords down as fast as he could, the wide blades cutting clean through the acid cannon at its halfway mark. The beast roared as the severed half of its appendage fell to the ground, pulling its cannon away from the hunter and above itself in agony. The mutated behemoth couldn't stop the flow of acid, though; from the remains of the cannon above its head, the red substance flowed out directly on top of the creature! The latter half of the appendage must have been what concentrated the acid into a beam, since it now flowed like a waterfall on top of Gear Rex's back, dousing itself in its own deadly substance.

The mutated beast let out an agonized roar as the acid burned through its scales and into its hide, and through the skin into its internal systems. Wes leapt away to evade a large amount of the red liquid as it flowed over the creature, sheathing his blades as the mutated behemoth's greatest weapon was now destroying it completely. The beast fell to the ground as the substance incinerated the entire upper portion of its body, turning the once ferocious Gear Rex into a lifeless husk.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but you just got burned. Now stay down this time!" the dual blade wielder shouted, kicking the beast's somehow untouched head for good measure. The crowd had gone silent when the mutated behemoth lashed out for the last time, but seeing that it was dead now, they erupted into another loud roar, cheering for Wes and the others as the announcer congratulated them on a fine hunt.

A few doctors ran out onto the field, checking over each of the hunters before going to help Jerome onto a stretcher. Wes had only suffered a few small cuts and bruises, and far more close calls. A small piece from one of the spikes he had cut must have managed to strike him, since there was a thin cut running down his cheek he hadn't noticed until Gear Rex had fallen. Katrina had only a few bruises, and Grant was the least wounded among them, only suffering one minor blow to the shoulder. The three watched as two of the doctors wheeled Jerome out of the stadium.

He lead the way out of the stadium, making sure to keep a proud, experienced posture the whole way to the large gate leading into the waiting area as he enjoyed his moment in the spotlight. He let himself relax as the large doors closed behind them, leaving the three alone in the chamber, the crowd's roar still audible through the thick metal.

"That was one hell of a fight!" the dual blade wielder laughed, still feeling the adrenaline from the event. "Did you see how the crowd just roared when I sliced those spikes?! Priceless!"

"Yeah, yeah, you were absolutely incredible," Grant said wryly. "No need to flaunt, Wes. They already think we're cool enough as is. God knows how many autographs we'll have to sign on our way out…"

"What, not a fan of center stage?" Wes joked, walking over to the door leading to the arena's interior.

"It was great and all, but I'm really hoping I can find a smith who can fix my Devil Slicer," Kat sighed. "This was my favorite sword! And I hope Jerome is alright too..."

"Don't worry about it too much. There's got to be at least one Minegardian smith in Loc Lac, probably more," the bowgunner replied. "And no, Wes, it's not that I hate center stage, it's that I don't feel the need to try and show off at every opportunity. Seriously, you really gotta watch that shit. Jerome and I almost got creamed when you were doing your rope stunt."

"Ah, whatever," the blue- and green-eyed hunter scoffed, making his way out into the hall. Two familiar Corps officers were waiting for them outside.

"Nice job on the hunt!" Trance greeted, approaching them with his partner Corrin. "Sir Balestra said he wished to speak to you all personally before you departed. Please, come with us."

Wes shrugged at the other two before the hunters followed the officers through the long hallway and up a tall flight of stairs, eventually arriving in the announcer's booth. There were three people within, only two of whom Wes recognized: Balestra, the Guildmaster Calistro, and an elderly woman who seemed like an important city official.

"And here they are now!" the Wyvernian said, noticing them as they entered. "So, Balestra, looks like you were right about 'em after all! Go figure."

"As I predicted. Excellent work, hunters," the Corps Head stated, turning to face Wes and the others. "You all exceeded what was expected of you in defeating Gear Rex as you did. You all showed great strength, skill, determination, and teamwork. You should be proud."

Wes smirked at the praise, though he found the older woman's scrutinizing gaze to be rather unsettling. She stepped forward past the Corps Head, as if to inspect them all more closely.

"You three are mostly unharmed… Your companion's attempt to prevent the bombs from detonating prematurely, as foolhardy as it seemed, was a brave act considering the power of Gear Rex's acid. And you, young man... Your performance was nothing short of impressive. You certainly gave the people a show, if anything. Perhaps there is more to this Master Corps than I initially thought… Sir Balestra, for now you have my trust. But do not make me regret my generosity."

The woman walked past them, sparing Wes one last look before leaving the booth. The hunters followed after her with their eyes before turning back to face Balestra as he cleared his throat.

"In recognition of your exceptional performance here today, I am giving you all a full week's reprieve from assignments. You've earned it. Now, I'm certain your comrades are waiting for you down below, so I will refrain from keeping you any longer. Good day to you all."

* * *

"There's our champ!" Viper laughed, seeing Wes and Kat depart the arena along with a number of Corps officers acting as escorts. A massive crowd of spectators had formed around the entrance, which the officials were trying to keep back as they made their way through the city. Fortunately, the officers recognized the other Corps members and allowed them inside the perimeter they were maintaining. The archer fist bumped Wes as they neared each other.

"Where's that other guy who was with you?" Snow asked, noting the bowgunner's absence. She and Frost had trailed just behind Viper, with the Gem Sisters being just behind them.

"Grant stayed back at the arena," Kat replied, walking alongside Wes rather closely. "He said he didn't want to bother with the crowds. Mercy knows it'll take a while for all of these people to clear out."

"Wes!" Sapphire darted past the others and took her place right by his side, not seeming to give the others a moments thought. "You were amazing out there! Like, super awesome! Where did you learn to Demon Dance like that?!"

"I was meaning to ask you the same thing," Viper asked, chuckling as the dual blade wielder glanced awkwardly between the blue haired huntress and Kat. "Seriously, I didn't think anyone could pull off stunts like you were doing!"

"It came with a lot of practice," Wes answered smugly, though he chuckled nervously afterwards. "Eh... can I have some space...? Please...?"

"Aww, and here I thought we were getting to know each other better!" Kat laughed. "I just wanted to thank you for saving me back there, Wes!"

"Can you thank me by... I dunno, not invading my personal space...?"

"Lighten up, bud; most guys would kill to be in the position you're in!" Viper joked, bursting into a fit of laughter at his friend's predicament. "You should really learn to share, y'know?"

The dual blade wielder shot a look over to Snow that basically told her he had no idea what to do. The huntress giggled to herself before making a reply. "Change the subject," she mouthed to him, which he fortunately seemed to get.

"So, Viper, have you and Emerald been kicking it off well lately?"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" the green haired archer shouted. "You think I like this guy?!"

"Bud, we wouldn't hit it off even if we were paid to do it!" Viper scoffed. "Like I'd be interested in her."

"Oh, what, you're insulting my looks now, shithead?"

"No, I was insulting your hideous personality!"

Wes breathed a sigh of relief as the archers' argument drew the attention of those present, including Sapphire and Kat. He shot a grateful smile over to Snow, who winked at him knowingly. The hunter gazed around at the group assembled within the perimeter of Corps officers, chuckling to himself as he did so.

"Is something funny, Wes?" He glanced over to his side, where Sapphire was looking up at him curiously.

"Nah, it's just... Well, it's great having friends like this," he replied, shaking his head as they continued on, keeping his voice low enough for only her to hear. "People who really have my back, and who know I've got theirs. Hell, if it weren't for Viper and Snow, I probably wouldn't have recovered from the incident at the ruins like I did. Don't tell 'em I said that, though. They'll never let me live it down."

"Your secret's safe with me!" the blue haired huntress assured with a short giggle. "To be honest, I didn't really have as many friends when I was younger as I do now, even if I always wanted to make more. Having you all here is like a dream come true."

"Where exactly are you from? I actually don't think I caught that before."

"Same as you, actually! I lived in Moga for a few years, but then my... well, my step dad had us moving around a lot, so I could never really get settled in anywhere. Once I was old enough, I became a hunter so that I could go off and be on my own, and live on my own terms!"

"Well, on your own with your other colored companions, right?"

"Oh, well... Yeah, I guess you're right about that one," Sapphire chuckled. "I've known them all since I was... about ten, I think. They're all really nice once you get to know them, trust me."

"I'd say I do, but with all the death glares Ruby's been giving me I don't feel inclined to agree," Wes commented. "She have a problem with me or something?"

"Nothing she's ever told me about, no."

"Huh... Mind trying to find out for me?"

"I can try! But on one condition."

"Sure, what is it?"

"You have to take me out on a date!"

Wes felt his face pale as the words left her lips, realizing he'd dropped his guard and gotten too casual with his speech.

_Dammit, not again..._

* * *

**_Author Notes: _**_Whew, finally, the Gear Rex fight has arrived! I was planning this one for a couple weeks, actually. Played quite a bit of Metal Gear Rising to try and get into the mood for the chapter, as well as watching a few of the Gear Rex battle videos on youtube to get an idea for its attacks. To those of you who don't know, Gear Rex is originally from Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, acting as a crossover boss with Monster Hunter Portable 3rd on the PSP. You could fight a Tigrex and a Rathalos along with Gear Rex in that game, but I decided to use the lesser known creature for this fight, considering the fact that it's not something I've seen in another fanfic before._

_An interesting topic that came up during the editing process of this chapter was the use of music in my writing. While I mentioned before in chapter 5 that I had a song used as a "theme" for the battle, I actually took things a step farther by giving pretty much all of my characters their own specific theme song, while several fights use other tracks as a sort of tempo to keep the pace of the fight going. Like I said, this chapter was heavily inspired by Metal Gear, to the point where I envisioned this fight's song being "Rules of Nature" from the Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance soundtrack. As for my characters, I feel I may begin to reveal a few of them every couple chapters, though some songs would completely spoil some later plot points and such so those'll wait until more is revealed about the characters themselves. For now, though, I'll reveal two: the first is Wes' theme, The Meaning of Life by The Offspring, while the second is Viper's, Joker and the Thief by Wolfmother. I did reveal the second one earlier, but I decided it fit more with Viper than it did with both Viper and Wes, thus the change. Ah, the wonders of music!_

_I must say, the whole "biweekly release" thing is already looking to be a great idea. I've already got notes put together for the next four chapters, and the first of them is well underway. At this rate I'll be caught up in no time! I may still stick with biweekly releases though, if only because it'll give me and dashboardgecko more time to work with. I tell you, you can never be too certain what life will throw at you to try and screw with you. Well, that about does it for this week's notes, so until next time, don't forget to review and keep following, and I'll see you next time!_

**_Playing:_**_MH3U, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance_

**_Listening to: _**_The Offspring, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance soundtrack_

**_Watching:_**_The Lego Movie (which somehow completely killed my inspiration for writing at one point, ironically.)_

**_Reading:_**_The Lost Civilization: DLC by dashboardgecko, In Monsters We Hate by Connor D. Atwell, some old issues of Shonen Jump that were collecting dust in my closet_


	12. Recollection

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 12- Recollection

York gazed down at a large pack of Jaggis from his hidden perch in the trees. There were about twenty or so of the smaller ankle biters in the spacious meadow below, and a single, far larger Great Jaggi leading them. The hunter had been tracking them across Moga Island for about an hour now, waiting until the conditions would be right to attack. Now the pack was distracted by the large herd of Aptonoth it had attacked, the bright-colored carnivores yipping excitedly at the prospect of a large meal.

_This should do just fine… The big one is the target, and with all the confusion the Aptonoths are kicking up this should be the perfect opportunity, _the brown haired hunter thought, scratching at his chin. _Let's see if they've learned anything._

With a quiet whistle, York signaled to the other three hunters waiting below that it was time to strike. At once, the three burst out of cover and charged towards the struggle between the Aptonoth and the Jaggis.

At their front was a boy of about seventeen years wearing a full set of Jaggi armor, wielding a short sword made from the bright-colored materials, a light weapon known as a Hydra Knife. A clawed shield accompanied the grey blade, a study defense despite its simple construction. Trailing hardly four steps behind him, two more hunters raced towards the fray on either side of him, hands reaching for their own weapons. The one on the left wore armor made from quality Machalite ore, offering decent defense for his entire body. Strapped to his back was a tannish metal great sword with a curved tip and a rounded-out section near the hilt, referred to as a Buster Sword. To the great sword wielder's right was a huntress wielding a Cross bowgun, garbed entirely in chainmail armor. Despite the heavy appearance of the suit it was extremely lightweight, giving the gunner much more mobility than it let on.

"Ilia, scatter them!" the great sword wielder called. The gunner took the front as the group neared the cluster of Jaggis before them, unslinging her bowgun in one swift motion. She fired a number of pellet shots into the crowd, many of the small metallic chips of buckshot finding their mark in one of the beasts before them. Several of the smaller Jaggis dropped with a single shot to the neck, head, or chest, their vitals having been shredded by the small projectiles. Others were wounded or knocked back by the shots, thinning out a good number of the Jaggis nearest them.

"Cass, clear me a path!" the short sword wielder shouted, ducking back behind the Alloy-clad hunter. The great sword wielder swung his Buster Sword in a wide horizontal arc, cutting a swath in the creatures between them. Despite the massive weight of the blade, the hunter recovered quickly, pulling his blade around in a defensive stance and charging into the herd great sword first, bulldozing through the small carnivores with his strength.

The Jaggi-clad hunter raced behind the great sword wielder as he pushed his way towards the Great Jaggi, the pack leader being too distracted by the confusion the Aptonoth were causing to notice them. After shoving his way through most of the pack, the great sword wielder ducked down low, crushing two Jaggi beneath his sword.

"Aquila, hit 'em where it hurts!" the bowgunner called, turning her attention to the Jaggi that hadn't been run down by the great sword user's charge.

The short sword wielder leapt over the great sword user's back, landing with a roll and sprinting towards the pack leader. He drew his sword as he neared, slashing a small ankle biter across the neck with the blade and slamming his shield into another's head. The beast turned just in time to see the hunter leap through the air towards it, holding his sword above his head as he neared.

Before it could react, the sharp blade had already found its mark inside the beast's open jaw, puncturing through its throat and out the bottom of its neck. With a sickening crunch, the hunter wrenched his sword free and slammed his shield against the side of the creature's head, and with a sideways roll he positioned himself at its side. With a loud shout, he plunged his sword into the Great Jaggi again, this time driving it straight through its heart and ending the pack leader's life.

The remaining Jaggis, seeing the death of their leader, backed away from the scene before racing off into the trees and disappearing from sight. The remaining Aptonoth likewise hurried out of the meadow, leaving the three hunters alone with the many carcasses around them.

"Alright, Teach! How was that?!" the great sword wielder shouted up to York, who quickly leapt down from the tree and landed in the meadow with the others, slowly getting to his feet and pulling his beaked hood back as he surveyed the area. Aside from the Great Jaggi, a pair of Aptonoth had been killed in the struggle with the pack, and the hunters had managed to bring down about a dozen of the smaller Jaggis with their surprise assault. All in all, it was an excellent execution.

"It wasn't bad at all, Cassian," York replied, approaching his three students as they removed their helmets.

The sword and shield user, Aquila, had fair features, sharp brown eyes, and short but messy dark brown hair. He was also a fair bit thinner than his companion, though still somewhat muscular. The great sword wielder, Cassian, had somewhat long sandy blond hair, an angular jaw, green eyes, and was very muscular for one of only eighteen years. The third hunter, the female bowgunner Iliana, had long black hair she held loose. She had a pair of bright blue eyes the color of lightning, though she had very soft features as well, providing something of a contrast in her appearance: fierce, yet gentle all the same.

"Damn right it wasn't bad! You see how I just barreled through that pack?" Cassian laughed, kicking one of the downed ankle biters.

"Well, there would've been too many for you to go through if Ilia hadn't dropped them with her bowgun fire," the short sword wielder said, checking the edge of his sword. "If it wasn't for that brute strength of yours, those things would've chewed you apart."

"But if he hadn't rushed through them that way, there wouldn't have been a path for you to get to the Great Jaggi, Aquila," Iliana stated. "It was a group effort, guys: no one was more important than the others."

"Well said, Iliana," York commented, getting the three hunters' attention. "Out there in the world of hunters, what matters most is that you learn to work together with your friends. There are challenges some of you will be able to overcome on your own, but far more that you'll need help from friends to complete. This lesson comes easier to some than others, but you've all been showing that you do understand that. In these past few months, the three of you have been improving tremendously; you're all well ahead of who you were before you stepped off that boat onto Moga's docks."

"Guess you can take credit for that, Teach," Aquila grinned, causing the other hunters to laugh in agreement.

"Sure, it hasn't really been easy, but we'd probably all be struggling with Ludroths if you hadn't helped show us the ropes, Mr. Adler," Iliana said gratefully.

"Well, it isn't an easy profession, Iliana. That goes for all of you: no matter how good you think you are, there could always be something -or someone- that is more than you can handle. Cass, Ilia, if it weren't for your parents' help, I might not have made it out of more than a few scrapes myself."

"Oh come on, like Da could've saved you more than you saved him," Cass laughed, throwing his head back. "He couldn't hunt his way out of a paper bag! If there's one thing I've definitely found out from you, Teach, it's that somehow, someway, you _will _cheat death at every turn. Seriously, you proved that last week when that Diablos wrecked the cave we were in. I thought for sure you and Ilia were done for, but somehow you made it out ahead of us!"

"Even I don't know how you pulled that one off," the bowgunner giggled. York allowed himself a short smirk as he looked at the three, knowing they all wanted to find out how he had pulled off such a feat.

"Sorry kids, but this old dog's gotta keep some of his tricks secret, right?"

"Dammit Teach, you're no fun," Aquila joked. "So, what do we got planned next?"

"Something I know all of you are quite fond of: lessons." The three younger hunters groaned at their instructor's sarcasm, hanging their heads as they headed back towards the village with the white robed hunter after carving their kills.

About an hour of walking later, the group returned to the Hunter's Academy in the center of Moga Village, a thriving location for all sorts of hunters passing through on quests in the surrounding area. The building itself was two stories tall, with the lower half being used mostly as a reception hall for both old and new hunters, while the top floor was dedicated to lessons and weapon instruction for the students. The three young hunters took seats in the center of the wood paneled ring used as the sparring floor as York pulled a chair over to seat himself on.

"Alright, so, you've all been training here for about half a year now, and you've developed your abilities enough that I think it's time for you to learn about skills."

"Skills? Whaddya mean, skills? Ain't that what we've been working on this whole time?" Cassian asked.

"Yes and no. While you've been working on honing your skills with weapons themselves, there hasn't been as much training for your minds," the older hunter explained. "For instance, how many times have you heard tales of hunters being able to cut through shells and hides harder than their weapons should have been able to?"

"I think old man Burguson said something about that in the tavern the other day…" Aquila muttered, resting his head on his hand.

"Well, what he was getting at was an ability known as Mind's Eye. Hunters who train themselves properly can achieve an effect where, if they swing with the right momentum and accuracy, they can cut through even diamond hard plating, though it won't do as much damage as a swing against a soft spot."

"So what's the point of it if it doesn't make you do more damage?" Ilia asked. "Wouldn't you want to deal as much damage as possible?"

"While that is an understandable thought, what you as a gunner may fail to realize is that if a blade strikes something too hard for it to cut, there's a hell of a rebound on the wielder's arm," York elaborated. "What that skill does is prevent blademasters from having to worry about their weapons deflecting."

"So… how do we get these 'skill' things then?" Cass inquired. "Hell, if I can keep my sword from bouncing, I'll do it!"

"Not so fast there, squirt," the older hunter chuckled. "While I did say that skill is something blademasters can attain, you should also know that everyone already has their own inner abilities. You just have to unlock them first. I'd say you've already reached a point where you have one: your strength training has given you increased attacking potential, something that really helps with a heavy weapon like yours."

"But then how do we find out what our skills are?" Aquila asked. "This is the first time I've ever heard about this. And these sound a lot like those 'Armor Skills' I heard rumor of…"

"Armor skills are more of a rumor than anything. Over their careers, hunters develop their abilities along with their weapon preferences. It's something of a tell based on their preferred weapon. For example, the ability to charge a switch axe phial quicker wouldn't help a sword user like yourself in the slightest. Fortunately, you won't have to worry about that because, like you said last week, nothing else feels more right in your arms than a sword and shield. Therefore, skills you'd be more likely to have would reflect either in enhanced guard abilities, or increased elemental damage."

"Alright, I think I get it…" the bowgunner stated. "So, if we have a skill, we should be able to discover it by training for that specific one? Like… if I wanted to reload my bowgun faster?"

"If you wanted to practice your loading skill, you'd want to use empty casings and reload them as swiftly as you can. Hell, if you got good enough you could probably fit another shot or two into the thing. And if you wanted to practice your guard skills, Aquila, we have the shield log set up for you to practice with over there," York said, pointing at a thin log hanging horizontally from a rope tied to the ceiling. "Just find a sweet spot in your shield that you can absorb the most damage through. And Cass, say you wanted to practice your Mind's Eye. There are large bluish boulders out in the woods that you would do well to find. They're basically the same as thick monster hides, and your weapon will bounce the same as it would on a tough shell. Time your swings properly, and you might even cut one of them."

"This is kind of a lot to take in, Teach," Aquila stated, still trying to grasp at what the instructor had said.

"Well, Iliana seemed to understand, so perhaps she can give you a hand… But it looks like we're about done for today. I'll see you all in front of the school tomorrow at dawn; we're going to bag an Arzuros. The Chief said he wanted some of the Savory Bear Paws they sometimes have, so let's see if we can't take some off its hands, eh?"

The three young hunters chuckled as they got to their feet, saying their goodbyes and heading towards the stairs. York gathered up a few sheets of paper, along with his blue and green bladed sabers, before departing the training school as well. Stepping out into the warm midafternoon sun, the hunter pulled his hood back over his head as he made his way back home, only a short walk from the school.

"Rose, I'm home!" he called as he stepped inside, setting the papers on his work table and removing his longcoat. The house smelled like freshly cooked Rathalos steaks, with… a hint of Kirin butter and some Panish to top it off. York smirked to himself as he stepped into the kitchen; he'd trained his nose to be rather acute in the years he'd lived with his wife, enough so that he could smell the ingredients she used in their meals.

"Oh, welcome back, dear!" his wife replied, turning away from her work for a moment and flashing him a cheerful, loving smile. "How were the kids today?"

"Still good. I'm glad so many of them graduated a couple months ago. Three is a lot easier to deal with than thirty, at least."

"I can imagine! What do you think of them?"

"Hah, well, I can certainly see where Hugh was involved when it comes to Cassian. That kid's all muscle and strength, I'll tell you. Iliana's a good bowgunner, and she's definitely a team player, though I'm a bit surprised she isn't as good with a long sword considering it's Zephyr and Kylie's weapon of choice. As for Aquila… The kid's got talent as a leader. He planned out their entire attack strategy, and it worked out perfectly. Too bad I don't know his parents, since they'd probably be great hunters too."

"Glad to hear they've got at least some traits of their parents, right?" Rose smirked, setting a plate of food down on the table in front of York as he sat down. "Oh, and speaking of, we got a letter from Wes today!"

"Really? Did you read it yet?" the hunter asked, beginning to eat as his wife got her own serving.

"No, I wanted to wait until you got back. I think it's better that way, don't you?"

"Trust me, I do, but that doesn't mean you weren't curious about what he said."

"I guess you're right in that regard," Rose chuckled.

After the pair finished their meal, they went into the living room, and York picked up the letter that had been resting on his desk. He unsealed it before opening the folded piece of paper inside the envelope, reading the familiar scribbles out loud.

"Dear Ma and Pa, things have been going great over here in Loc Lac. There was a pretty big event that took place a couple days ago at the arena. Guess who one of the hunters was? Yeah, me. We got to fight a new monster called 'Gear Rex', some kinda wyvern with an acid cannon on its shoulder. It put up a pretty good fight, but it couldn't handle me for long! You should have seen the crowds, cheering me and the others on the whole time.

"But, I'm getting a little ahead of myself. I got the package you sent, and I'm grateful for the swords, Pa. And the meals too, Ma, those were amazing. I actually shared one with my buddy Viper. If I thought he could eat fast before, I was dead wrong; I looked away for a second and it was already gone. He said much obliged, by the way. The swords served me pretty well during the Gear Rex fight too. Way better than the older pair would have, at least. They're definitely the best early birthday gifts I've ever gotten.

"And that's about it, everything else has been going pretty well! Hope things have been going fine for both of you back in Moga! Ah, and something I'm sure both of you will be happy to hear; I've got a couple weeks off from hunts, so you could come out to visit if you want! Just thought I'd let you know. Have a good one!"

"Well, it's good to hear he's doing well," Rose sighed in relief. "Knowing he's so far from home is really nerve wracking. I got some pretty bad vibes a couple weeks ago that something horrible had happened, but I guess I was just getting anxious."

"You did always seem to have a knack for knowing when he was in trouble, at least," York chuckled, folding the letter back up. "Still, I'm getting concerned with his attitude… It seems like every letter he sends, he's getting a little cockier. I'm worried he might get in over his head soon. Maybe a visit wouldn't be a bad idea…"

"Well, you _are _the teacher, Mr. Adler," Rose giggled. "You can decide when the students get a break, right? A few days in Loc Lac wouldn't be bad; we could stay with Hugh and Karah!"

"Hah, they'd probably wonder why Cassian and Iliana wouldn't be coming along!"

"Maybe Epplen could come out of retirement for a week?"

"Okay, I'm supposed to help them along with their training, Mrs. Adler, not condemn them to hell."

The pair laughed and shared a kiss before Rose returned to the kitchen to clean up, and York took a seat at his workbench. A pair of intricate handles rested to his left, which he had made after a long process of deciphering the old lettering on the schematic his son had sent all those months before. They would definitely make a powerful pair of swords… if he could get the blades right. Every metal he had tried using them with had ended with the blades shattering completely, no matter how strong he made them.

_Maybe that old coot at the forge has some suggestions, _he thought to himself before moving on to another project.

Before he got too invested in the small gun-like device he was assembling, though, he spared a glance up at the sword mounted on the wall above the table. After a moment, the hunter pushed himself up and took the blade down, inspecting the pale, straight white blade closely. Whatever metal it had been made from was absurdly strong, and it held an extremely sharp edge that had proven there was little it couldn't cut. Now that he was really staring at the sword, though, he could make out some faint runes carved into it, almost like small messages of some kind.

_Maybe I'll look into these some other time. It would be nice to learn more about it, to be honest… _The hunter slashed the sword through empty space once, hearing the light _woosh _it made as it sliced through the air, before returning it to its place on the wall above him. With a short sigh, York seated himself again and began to work on his contraption.

* * *

"York... York...! Come on dear, time to wake up!"

York wearily pushed himself up from his workbench, rubbing his good eye tiredly. "Ugh... Rose...? How long was I out?"

"A couple hours... again. You really shouldn't put so much effort into these gadgets of yours. It's past midnight already!"

"Is it really? Blast, and I thought I'd have this thing done before then..."

"This is exactly what I'm talking about!" Rose huffed, picking up the small gun device. "You've been working on this thing for who knows how long, even after you almost blew your hand off with it! And have you looked at yourself recently? You've hardly been sleeping at all, aside from when you pass out at your desk. That isn't healthy!"

"I... guess you're right... Not really doing wonders for my back either," York chuckled, standing up and cracking his back as he stretched. "Okay, that kinda hurt..."

"Alright, here's what the plan will be for tomorrow then," the green-eyed woman said. "I'm going to go out and put a notice on the school saying that you're taking a day off for personal reasons, and you are going to pack all this junk into your chest until you've gotten some proper rest in. Understood?"

"Rose, that seems a little-"

"_Understood?"_

"...Alright, fine..." York sighed. "You remember the way to the school, right?"

"Just around the corner, I know. I want this table cleared once I get back, okay?"

"Alright, alright! I'll get it done."

"Good," she smiled, grabbing a piece of paper. She scribbled a short notice on it before heading out the door, leaving the one-eyed hunter alone in their home.

"I swear, even after all these years I can barely hold an argument with her..." he mumbled, picking up some of his creations and walking over to his item box. He kicked the lid open, revealing a giant mess of materials and tools within. He gently laid the devices on top of the pile, making sure that the lid wouldn't close on them and damage them.

Before he shut it, though, York noticed something strange within the box. A sort of pulsating red light was faintly shimmering at the bottom, something he'd never paid attention to before.

"What the...? I don't have anything that glows like that... Do I...?"

His curiosity getting the better of him, the hunter reached his hand into the box. It took him a minute of shifting scales, hides, and other materials away as he reached further inside, but eventually his hand came to rest on a bumpy gem-like object. He tightened his grasp around the orb before pulling it out of the chest, looking over the gem closely. It pulsated like magma, though it was only slightly warm to the touch. It felt much like the obsidian at the Volcano, yet it seemed as though it wasn't from that region. It was only after handling the gem that he remembered where it had come from.

_Ah, this is...! Of course, this is that gem I found in the Tundra all those years ago! I completely forgot I had this! __I guess I forgot to sell it off... But why was something that feels like obsidian in the Tundra? The Volcano is almost four hundred miles from there... _Now that he was looking at it, though, he realized there might be more to this ruby than he realized. There was something strange... no, _ancient_ about it that seemed like it was trying to call out to him.

"Just what exactly are you, I wonder..." he mumbled, staring intently at the glowing orb.

Suddenly, the gem flared with a strong red light, casting a powerful crimson glow throughout the whole room. York shielded his good eye from the intensity of the glare, watching as several 'tendrils' of the red light began to shoot out from the orb. One of the tendrils struck the blade hanging on the wall near the sword's hilt, lighting up one of the runes with a powerful orange light.

"What the hell?! This is...!" He stared at the glowing orange rune in the blade, feeling as though his mind was being pulled into the blade...

* * *

York blinked his eye open and groaned as he pushed himself up. At least, he felt like he did. Something felt incredibly off to him as he looked around.

He was surrounded by utter chaos: men and women wearing white robes were combatting figures dressed in black outfits in a medium-sized marble room supported by a number of pillars. It only took him a moment to leap to his feet and assume a combat stance, expecting them to try and attack him, but the hunter was met only with surprise as he realized he couldn't even see his own body. It just seemed like he was there, yet not at the same time.

_What the hell...? Where is this? And why the hell am I invisible? Why does this weird shit always happen to me... _

Relaxing himself as much as he could, the one-eyed hunter made his way through the chaos, watching the battle unfold around him. He noted that many of the white-robed men and women wielded pale swords, much like the one he had. There was one figure who seemed to stand out the most to him, though: a man wearing an outfit not unlike his own, with his hood drawn up over his head. From what York could see, he had clear blue eyes the same hue as his own, and somewhat short brown hair. He was fighting two black-robed figures, having little difficulty in holding both off at once.

The first of the robed figures swung a black blade at him, which the man parried with his white sword before attempting to counterattack. The second figure stopped his blade and shoved him back, though, allowing the pair to keep their numerical superiority over the man.

"Seems you're quite the troublesome bunch, no?" the man stated, glancing between the two hooded figures as they leveled their swords at him. They both swung their swords at him simultaneously, though the man was able to block both swords with his own. He ducked below the blades, causing the two black-robed figures to stumble forward, and drove his white sword into the first one's chest, killing him instantly. Before the other could react, a long blade sprang out of the man's sleeve, a sharpened hook acting as its tip. The man drove the hook into the back of the figure's neck and wrenched his arm back, throwing the man's corpse to the ground and pulling his blade free in one move.

The man glanced around at the confusion around him, making as if to rejoin his companions in the fight. However, he flinched as a severed torso landed nearby him, and a man wearing heavy grey armor over his robes ran over to him, hefting a bloodied great sword.

"Still holding up, eh, Virgil? This mess has definitely been a bloody one!"

"Where have they been coming in from? And more importantly, how did so many of them find this hideout? This is the third surprise attack the Brilliant Darkness has launched this month!"

"We'll have to figure that out after we repel these bastards! There's more of them on the ground floor heading in through the main hall! Help cut them off down there! We can handle the rest of them here!"

"Alright, watch your back! We don't need any more bodies to bury!"

"To you as well, old friend!" the man replied, turning back to reengage the invaders.

"And Felix! Keep Elena safe! I saw her up here before the ambush, so she must still be nearby!"

"Will do! Now get going! This attack isn't gonna repel itself!"

_Virgil? Felix? I know father was a member of the group opposing the Brilliant Darkness, but old man Felix was involved too? __Those runes in the sword must be messages of some kind... Is this... the past...? _

As Virgil darted away, York found himself being pulled along after him, as if he couldn't stay far from his father's position. He darted past a number of black-robed figures, making his way towards a stairwell leading to the level below. They attempted to pursue him, but several of the white-robed men and women covered his escape, ambushing the group with daggers, swords, and more of the hooked wrist blades.

As he neared the stairwell, another black-robed figure appeared in the frame, blocking his path. Another figure lunged at him from the side, attempting to run the white-robed man through with a black metal sword. Virgil caught the man's wrist before the blade reached him, dodging out of the way of its sharp edge. He countered by impaling the bottom of the figure's jaw with his hook, and with a quick twist he threw the man over his back and into the one blocking his path, knocking both down the stairs. There was a sickly snap as the other man landed against the edge of a stair, breaking his neck from the fall. Without breaking pace, Virgil ran down after them, darting through the spiraling staircase and over the two corpses of the figures he had just slain.

Upon exiting the stairwell, York found them in another large hall supported by tall marble pillars, with a large hole blasted in what was presumably the entrance to the hideout. A large number of black-robed figures were fighting a much smaller number of white-robed men and women, and many more were pressing through behind them.

"About time you got down here, Virgil!" one of the white-robed men shouted, slashing his attacker across the chest and backing away from the fray to join Virgil. "We need a way to seal off the entrance! We've already plugged up the other breaches, but this one is the worst yet! At this rate we might need to fall back!"

Virgil shifted his gaze about the room, as if looking for something that could help put the odds back in their favor. A loud blast drew both of their attentions to the fray, where a white-robed women was tossing small bombs into the crowd of invaders.

"I have a plan," Virgil said, glancing up at the top of one of the pillars. York followed his gaze, seeing a number of cracks in the marble. "Sophitia, toss me one of those bombs!"

The woman, hearing his shout, turned swiftly and tossed him a small bronze orb with a short fuse attached to it. He caught it and dropped it into his pouch before turning towards a wooden scaffold leading up to the ceiling.

"It's good that we never got around to the repairs," he mumbled, running over to the scaffold, kicking his way up the wooden frame, and grabbing hold of the timber structure as he began to climb it.

The scaffold reached around most of the room, with several crossbeams connecting to the other pillars to offer extra support. Virgil finished his climb in no time, hoisting himself onto the upper platform and making his way over to the pillar with the large crack in it. Some of the black-robed figures noticed the man as he made his way across, with a number of them beginning to climb the scaffold after him. The hooded man simply pulled out a number of throwing knives in between his fingers and threw them at the invaders, striking down several of them with one throw. One of them managed to make it up to wear he stood, though, drawing a black sword and leveling it at the man.

"Sorry, but I don't have time for a meet and greet," Virgil said, holding his right arm out before him. Instead of another blade, a pair of wing-like devices folded out from his bracer, taking the form of a miniature bow in a split second. He quickly loaded a bolt onto the weapon and shot the projectile at the man, striking him in the throat with pin-point accuracy. The black-robed figure merely stumbled back, clutching at his throat, before falling off the platform, knocking down another one of his allies in the process.

The blue-eyed man wasn't going to wait for any more of the figures to reach him, though. He raced across the rest of the scaffold until he was next to the damaged pillar, though several more of the black-robed men had reached the top of the platform by then and were chasing after him. Virgil quickly lit the fuse and wedged the bomb inside one of the larger cracks along the pillar, backing away quickly to avoid the blast radius. He got back to the main platform just before the explosive detonated, causing him to flinch as several small bits of wood and marble flew towards him.

He recovered quickly, watching as the pillar began to tilt forward towards the breach. With a loud crack, the pillar fractured into three large pieces and tumbled down to the floor below, two chunks crashing into the floor just in front of the entrance and completely blocking it off with rubble. The third piece landed in the midst of the large group of invaders, crushing a number of them beneath the marble slab.

Virgil returned his attention to the immediate threat before him, though: half a dozen of the black-robed figures had climbed up to where he stood, and while the platform was only wide enough to allow them to stand single file, York knew that six-on-one wasn't a favorable matchup in any scenario. A splintering noise sounded around them as one of the men took a step towards the white-robed warrior; the blast from the bomb had damaged the scaffolding, and one of the logs keeping it together had snapped!

The blue eyed man took only a second to glance at the invaders before leaping off the scaffold, barely making it in time to avoid the structure's collapse. He extended the hooked blade from his wrist and drove the end into the wall, the metal somehow managing to cut into the marble and slow Virgil's descent towards the ground. He landed deftly and retracted the weapon before drawing his sword and engaging another pair of the black-robed invaders.

In his spectral condition, York could only watch the spectacle in awe; he hadn't realized how good of a fighter his father had been in his youth. When he had met the man in those ruins on the Sandy Plains all those years ago, he looked to be in his sixties, but here, from what York could tell, the man was in his mid twenties, and at the peak of his condition. The one-eyed hunter watched as Virgil easily broke through guard of the first figure and impaled him on his white blade, pulling it free and offing the second with his hooked wrist blade.

_I'm gonna have to make myself one of those, _York thought as the man retracted the hooked blade and made his way back towards his allies.

"Good job! That'll keep them from getting more numbers!" one of the white-robed men shouted.

"Wait, the ceiling! Look!" The white-robed figures turned their gazes up, as did York. From where the pillar had been destroyed, even more cracks were spreading across the ceiling, creating a web of splinters in the pale stone. "The roof's going to come down! Everybody, get to the stairs!"

The majority of the men and women made a beeline for the stairs, while a small number stayed back to keep the remaining invaders from pursuing them. Virgil just reached the stairs before the ceiling crumbled, raining large chunks of debris upon all those remaining in the main hall, be it defender or invader. Virgil took only a moment to look back at the rubble blocking the bottom of the stairway before racing up after the others who escaped the collapse and returning to the room where he had been fighting in before.

Felix was just finishing off the last of the invaders with his great sword, knocking the figure across the chamber with a wide swing. The surviving men and women let out a cheer of victory at the sight of the last invader's fall, but they didn't take time to celebrate. They immediately took to caring for the wounded while Virgil made his way over to where Felix was resting, the tip of his blade planted in the floor.

"I thought we were having an earthquake," the great sword wielder stated, wiping his brow. "Just what exactly did you do down there?"

"I collapsed one of the support pillars to cut off the last breach, but it brought down most of the cave above as well," Virgil replied, before gesturing towards himself and the other men and women who made it out. "No one survived aside from us."

"Blast... How many would you say we lost down there?"

"I do not know the exact number, but around half a dozen perished with the collapse. More fell in battle."

"So many dead..." Felix groaned, pushing himself up from the pommel of his sword. "These attacks have been far too effective to just be pure strokes of luck, Virgil. There has to be a leak!"

"Felix, there's no need to jump to conclusions. Our enemy is well informed-"

"Well informed? This is the second bloody hideout we've lost to the Brilliant Darkness! The damage is too great to salvage the structure, and most of the living quarters were cut off due to explosives they brought in!"

"They may have rendered our hideout destroyed, but the losses they suffered are far greater than ours numerically," the blue eyed man stated. "We can move on to another hideout. We still have many they haven't touched yet."

"For how long, hmm? They're hunting us down, Virgil! There's only so many of us, and there seems to be far more of them every time they launch an assault! We need to bring them down, before they can do any more damage!"

"There is only so much they can do. Master Drock will give us a path to travel, my friend. It is a simple matter of time before we can take the fight to our enemy."

"A simple matter of time?! Virgil, look around you! Do you see how many of our brothers and sisters have fallen? They might have lost more than us, but that does not lessen the damage done to us!"

_"Enough!"_

The pair turned to face an elderly man wearing light grey robes approaching them, supporting himself with a long walking stick. Despite his weakened, aged appearance, every man and woman in the room bowed respectfully at his presence. He came to a stop by Virgil and Felix, glancing between the two with a stern, calm gaze.

"There has been enough strife within these walls for one day, don't you think? There is no need for aggression between brothers."

"Master Drock, it is good to see you are unharmed," Virgil said, bowing to the elder. "I wasn't trying to incite an argument, I was just discussing with Felix how-"

"Discussing? You were blowing off all the losses we suffered, trying to make things seem like they're better than they are!" Felix shouted. "Have you no respect for those who died today? No remorse for their passing? You dare call yourself an Oath Keeper with that attitude?!"

"Felix, silence yourself!" Drock commanded, his voice practically booming across the entire chamber and bringing the pair to complete silence. "Neither of you are in the wrong. Virgil, you apply your logic to situations such as this, and find your own answers through that. Felix, you allow your emotions and your feelings to guide you, which is also a viable way to see the world. Understand, our Oath has many interpretations to it, and of how to fulfill its requirements. Both of you have your own speculations on the topic, and though juvenile, they show promise."

"But that isn't good enough!" Felix defended. "It doesn't matter how we interpret the Oath if we don't act on it! Our purpose is to stop the Brilliant Darkness and prevent the rise of the Alatreon again! I know the threat that dragon poses. I felt its presence, and its claws! Were it not for my comrades, it would have slain me on the spot! And now, most those same comrades are dead, and the last of them has become the conduit for the dragon's awakening! I know what our purpose is, Master, and I swear, I will see it done... And I will save every comrade I can along the way."

Virgil and Drock watched as the man turned away, fuming silently as he strode across the chamber and entered a hallway leading further into the complex, disappearing from sight. The elderly man let out a short, disappointed sigh at the sight, turning back to face the blue-eyed man.

"Virgil, I wish to know how you understand our Oath. Tell me, how do you see the world?"

"As an object that needs protection from evil."

"And its inhabitants?"

"People and creatures that the dark ones would prey upon if given the chance."

"What of the nature of mankind?"

"Free willed, but ignorant of what true freedom is."

"And what is true freedom?"

"...The knowledge of how to act, and how not to act."

"I see... When you came of age, you recited our Oath to the letter. That you would protect the world, its inhabitants, and their nature from those that would corrupt them. Your answers are certainly in no way incorrect, though you may wish to reflect upon your views sometime. Perhaps then you would be able to understand Felix's point of view."

"If I may say, Master, I believe his time among those hunters has had a far greater effect on him than you predicted it would."

"It may have, but the opposite could be true as well. He was rather stoic as a child, much as how you were more outgoing. Time is a more effective tutor in the ways of life than most... The world works in mysterious ways, Virgil. Do well to remember that."

"Of course, Master. If I may be dismissed, I would like to find Elena to ascertain she is unharmed."

"Lady Elena is safe. She was wounded in the leg during the initial attack, but was able to escape further injury. She's resting in the west wing right now, along with some of the other wounded."

"Thank you, Master Drock."

Virgil bowed to the man once more before heading towards the hall to the west wing, with York drifting behind him as he continued to watch the scene unravel.

_So, old man Felix used to be that hot headed? Now I've seen everything... I'd never be able to put up with all this orderly bull crap though. _

Virgil entered a smaller room branching off from the hall, in which numerous wounded men and women were propped up against walls or lying on the floor while others tended to them. The blue-eyed man must've found who he was looking for immediately, because almost as soon as he entered he made his way over to a blonde haired woman seated with her back to the wall, looking over the fresh bandages on her leg. Her bright green eyes lit up upon seeing him approach.

"Virgil! Oh, thank heavens you're alright!" the woman cried, making as if to push herself up, though she had great difficulty in doing so on account of her leg. Virgil crouched down to her level so she wouldn't have to stand, and the pair embraced for a long while before parting, staring intently at each other.

"There was a great number of losses today, Elena, though none we can't recover from. We still achieved victory, but I'm just glad that you're safe," he said with a small hint of a smile.

"There you go again, trying to make everything sound better than it is," Elena chuckled, reaching out and taking hold of his hand. "I know we lost a large number of people today, Virgil. You don't have to try to cover it up for my sake."

"...It is believed that the hideout is lost. We will have to move on to another within the next few hours if we are to survive."

"That's more like it. Now, tell me, were you the cause of all that rumbling before?"

"Who else could it have been?" the man replied with a sarcastic smirk, causing Elena to laugh again.

"I just had to make sure. After all, I was rather worried you had gotten caught up in it."

"Death hasn't come for me yet, and I feel it won't for many years. How bad was your leg wounded?"

"Just a sword wound, nothing that won't heal with a little time. How about you? Anything worse than that cut on your cheek?"

Virgil reached up to the left side of his face, feeling at the thin cut that crossed his cheek. It had been a minor wound, enough so that he hadn't even felt it until now, though it was still bleeding slightly.

"Ah, that must've come from one of those bits of shrapnel the bomb sent flying at me... It's nothing to worry about. I'm far too good of a fighter to be bested by the Brilliant Darkness' members, that I can assure you of," the blue eyed man stated, a barely noticeable tone of arrogance in his voice.

"Virgil... You know that it only takes one mistake to be..."

"I know, I was just trying to cheer you up a little."

"Well, in that case, thank you," Elena chuckled. "I won't keep you for long, Virgil. I'm sure Master Drock will need all the able hands he can get to help with getting the survivors out of here..."

"Very well. I'll visit you again before we depart. Rest easy, my dear."

Virgil kissed Elena on the hand before getting to his feet, giving her one last quick smile before heading off again, back towards the hall. This time, though, York found himself unable to follow after his father. Everything began to glow with a bright white light, the people within the room disappearing, and York found himself again blacking out, with strange, distorted voices being the last thing he heard.

* * *

The hunter came to on the floor of his living room with the gem still in his grasp, the intense red light having faded away. York pushed himself up with a slight groan, feeling extremely disoriented. Had that really happened? Did he really just see a memory of his father? What could it have all meant? And, most importantly, how had that all happened?

_I better not be going senile... _he wryly thought to himself, pushing himself off the floor. He held the small glowing orb up, noting that the light it had given off before was far dimmer than it had been. It almost seemed like the gem was... resting.

York contemplated throwing the gem out then and there; whatever it was, it wasn't man made, and there was definitely something ominous about the object... Yet it had somehow awakened a message held within Virgil's sword for York to view, something that intrigued the one-eyed hunter more than anything. Just what was this thing?

He heard the front door open behind him, causing the hunter to turn quickly as Rose stepped inside, shutting the door lightly behind her. She gazed at him and gave him a concerned, worried look.

"York? What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost... Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, really. Just... wasn't too happy about having to put all my things away for a day." Whatever this gem was whatever it had caused him to see, this wasn't something York felt his wife had to know about. _She'll probably think I'm crazier than I already am..._

"...If you say so..." she mumbled disbelievingly. "It's too late to argue about this anyways. Are you ready to head upstairs?"

"Of course, hun, just a minute. I have to put one last thing away. Don't wait for me," he grinned, giving her as comforting a look as he could. He managed to glean a smile out of his wife, who walked over to him and gave him a quick kiss.

"You know I'll always wait for you, York. Just don't be late," she smirked, making her way up to their room.

York breathed a sigh of relief and gave the ruby one last look, the once glowing red stone now a dormant black color in the dim lighting of the room. He wearily set it on top of the pile of objects in his chest before shutting the lid and locking it tight.

_There may be more messages in the sword... Perhaps another few looks sometime wouldn't hurt too bad._

* * *

**_Author Notes: _**_Well, this was probably a bit unexpected, wasn't it? Surprise surprise, there's going to be a few sections centered around York and his past! Virgil was only a minor character in The Hunter's Oath, though I felt that more characterization focused on him would answer many questions left unanswered in the last tale. The main inspiration for the Virgil "memory" section was the Assassin's Creed Revelations parts where you relived Altair's memories, which were some of my favorite parts in that game. Some of Virgil's armaments were lifted from other games as well, namely the hook blade (quite obviously) from Revelations and the new "Phantom Blade" that'll be included in AC Unity, though this one is more of a bow in my design than a crossbow..._

_Now, as I'm sure you're all wondering, yes, this chapter is a fair bit shorter than normal. However, there is good reason for it! Originally, this chapter and the next were one and the same, with a timeskip taking place after the York segment. Dashboardgecko and I agreed that for the sake of fluency, it would be better to not have any forward timeskips take place during chapters, only in between them. So, the next one might be a little shorter than normal as well. BUT! This won't be a routine thing, I can assure you; in fact, I'm thinking that chapter 14 might even be longer than normal, so hey, you'll still get your money's worth! Well, I mean, if your WERE paying money... Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and don't worry, next time we'll be back to Wes and Co. for a little while. Don't forget to leave a review about what you thought, and I hope to see you next time, my faithful reader!_

_P.S. I am still sticking with Saturday biweekly releases, but my schedule tomorrow won't afford me the time to use a computer to post it then, so here's a special Friday edition for you all! _

**_Playing: _**_MH3U, GTA V, AC Revelations_

**_Listening to: _**_The Offspring, Papa Roach_

**_Watching: _**_The downfall of mankind (it's happening all around us, after all)_

**_Reading: _**_The Lost Civilization: DLC by dashboardgecko_


	13. Thunderstrike

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 13- Thunderstrike

Wes narrowly ducked beneath Viper's fist and rolled away, just in time to avoid a low kick the archer threw at him. As he recovered, he lashed out with a pair of quick jabs at Viper's head, which the golden-eyed man deflected using his forearms. Viper retaliated with a swift kick at his side, which the blue- and green-eyed hunter barely managed to stop with his shin. The dual blade wielder retaliated with a fist aimed at the archer's gut, which Viper twisted away from just in time.

_Damn, he's been getting a lot better, _Wes thought to himself, breathing exhaustedly as he kept his combat stance and eyed his opponent. He wasn't the only one out of breath, it seemed; the archer was panting heavily as he kept his own stance, circling Wes as the blue- and green-eyed hunter did the same. He and Viper had been sparring for the better part of a half hour, yet neither of them had managed to land a hit on the other in that entire time. _Still, one of us is going to win this, and it's gonna be me!_

Wes closed the distance between them with a quick dash, making as if to punch at Viper's gut again. He pulled his fist back quickly when Viper moved to block, completing his feint, and instead lashed out at the archer's head. Even then, the golden-eyed man's reaction time was spot on, and he managed to bring an arm up in time to catch the blow before throwing one of his own at Wes' face. The dual blade wielder caught Viper's punch as well, finding himself and Viper locked in a contest of strength as they pushed against each other as hard as they could.

Wes knew immediately that this was something he wouldn't be able to beat Viper at. While he wasn't particularly weak, he certainly had far less upper body strength than most hunters, especially the golden eyed archer, whose weapon used the entirety of his torso and arms to wield properly. This was why the dual blade wielder relied on swifter attacks and deflecting blows: to avoid having to get into these kinds of engagements. Thinking quickly, Wes pulled his head back and delivered a headbutt to Viper's forehead, causing the archer to curse as he stumbled back.

Wes attempted to follow up with an uppercut, but Viper lashed out with a kick at the last second, driving his foot into the dual blade wielder's gut. Wes coughed as he stumbled back, winded; Viper could hit a hell of a lot harder than he could, even if he was a touch slower. Both hunters recovered from their exchange and darted towards each other with a fist wound back to throw a punch. They both attacked at the same time, with Wes' fist passing over Viper's, but neither had the strength left to dodge, and each took the other's fist directly to the face, knocking them both over as the blows connected.

Wes pushed himself up slowly, shaking his head a little to try and clear his blurred vision. He saw Viper doing the same, and the two glared at each other for a couple moments before the archer let out a short chuckle. He soon began to break down in a fit of laughter, and Wes couldn't help but join him in doing so. That had been the best match they'd ever had!

"Damn, Viper, you really gave me a bruiser at the end there," Wes chuckled, pushing himself to his feet and walking over to the downed archer, giving him a hand up. The black haired hunter continued to laugh as he got to his feet.

"I wasn't the only one, bud!" he stated, rubbing his cheek where Wes had struck him before. "Was that intense or what?"

"That's putting it lightly, Joker. That was bloody awesome!"

"Hah, now I just wish your dad coulda watched this match," the archer chuckled. "Last one was a bit embarrassing."

"Come on, that was three months ago!" Wes said, clapping Viper's shoulder encouragingly. "Don't worry much about that. At least he said you were pretty good, right?"

"I guess, yeah. Pretty cool of your parents to visit for your birthday like that. Especially your mom; she can cook even better in person!"

"Yeah, she's one hell of a chef, but that doesn't mean she isn't overbearing either. You remember how long she was fretting over the few scars I got on my face, right?"

"Hey, any damage done there doesn't fix itself easy, bud. Hopefully that pretty face of yours isn't your only asset!" Viper laughed sarcastically, causing Wes to roll his eyes.

"Ah shut it, bow boy."

The pair paused as Trance walked over to where they sat, expecting some kind of news from him.

"A nice match as always, you two," he said in greeting. "Sir Balestra has requested both of you for a mission briefing. Hope you didn't tire yourselves out too much."

"Nothing an energy drink and some steak won't fix," Viper replied, getting to his feet along with Wes. "Lead the way, Trance."

* * *

"...and a Master Hunter from the Guild will be joining you as well, as the threat had been deemed large enough," Balestra said. The Corps Head was addressing Frost, Snow, Ruby, and Emerald, with the four hunters lined up in front of his desk. Frost had zoned out a little during the course of the man's long-winded explanation, but he picked out the important bits when they came up, so he still knew full well what was going on.

Apparently an Ivory Lagiacrus, deemed 'The Cruel King of the Sea', had resurfaced in the southern isles and was completely ruining the ecosystem of the area. One eye witness report had even said the leviathan drove off a stray Deviljho with its electricity, a beast which normally makes lunch meat out of Lagiacrus'. Despite the abundance of hunters in nearby Moga Village, none had been willing to hunt the creature, meaning the Corps was contacted immediately.

"Alright, then who's this 'Master Hunter'?" Emerald asked, almost dismissively. The masked hunter could tell she really didn't care about who it was by her tone, just so long as they could get moving.

"Good of you to ask, Ms. Emerald. I do believe he has just arrived. Mr. Soyokaze, if you'd please introduce yourself."

The four hunters turned around to face a tall man as he entered the room. He wasn't quite up to Frost's level, but his height was still above the others. He looked to be in his mid-forties, and his hair was beginning to grey somewhat, though he still gave off an air of impressive hunting skill. His long black hair was tied back in a full ponytail-like style with a red ribbon, giving the impression of a samurai. Short black stubble surrounded his mouth and covered his sharp jaw, and he had a pair of prominent scars on his face: one extended over his right eye from above his brow to the middle of his cheek, and the other curved around from beneath his left ear to the bottom of his left eye. He had a pair of fierce gray eyes that only made his presence more imposing, though they were slightly offset by the playful smirk he wore. He was garbed in a suit of Lagiacrus armor- the High Rank design, by the looks of it- and his weapon of choice appeared to be an iron long sword, with the scabbard wrapped in white bandages.

"Please, we're hunters here, Balestra. They don't need the formalities," the man said, stepping into the room with a chuckle. He turned his gaze to the four gathered in front of the Corps Head's desk, looking at the all with an intrigued gaze. "Just call me Zephyr."

"Mr. Soyokaze will be providing his services for the duration of this assignment," Balestra continued, not seeming to acknowledge the older hunter's more informal introduction. "You would do well to follow his example; he was a rather famous hunter a long time ago. Surely you all can learn something from his assistance."

"That depends on if we want to learn," Emerald muttered, earning a sharp elbow from Ruby to shut her up.

"So, the mission is just to hunt down the Ivory Lagiacrus then?" Snow asked. "No ruins or temples or anything?"

"That is why it is a hunting contract, Ms. Snow, not an expedition."

"Where's the nearest town?" Ruby inquired. "If there's a possibility for collateral damage…"

"The nearest town is a village known as Hanava, well over four miles to the east across the ocean. You won't have to worry about damage to the town. Now, are there any other questions? …Very well then. I wish you all the best of luck, and good day."

Zephyr was the first one out of the room, followed after by the other hunters in a single fashion line. Frost spared one glance back at the Corps Head as the crimson eyed man seated himself at his desk, taking a file from the top of the orderly stack to his left. Frost didn't linger, though, following after his sister and the others as they made their way on to the next job.

* * *

Balestra quietly read through the file in his hands, one he had Trance 'retrieve' for him from the classified section in the Guild information storage facility.

_Kalvata Village, hmm…? Destroyed through what is believed to be unnatural weather patterns, while any surviving inhabitants were slain by the 'White Devil'… Of the village, none are known to have survived, yet in Mr. Frost and Ms. Snow's files it lists that as their birthplace… And their records are relatively new as well, despite claiming to have been registered hunters for more than six years… It would seem there is more to these two than I initially suspected._

A few short knocks on the door gained his attention, and the man closed the file and set it aside before responding. "Enter."

Four more hunters he had called for stepped inside his office: Wes, Viper, Amethyst, and Sapphire. Both Wes and Viper looked as though they had been training quite hard only a few minutes beforehand, their casual outfits being soaked with sweat. Sapphire and Amethyst, though, were already fully armored in their Lagombi and Arzuros armors, respectively. He slowly drew his gaze across the four as they lined up before the desk.

"I see Mr. Trance was much quicker in gathering all of you this time," he said, pushing himself up. "I am rather involved in another… project at the moment, so I will be brief. The four of you will take part in an expedition mission. In the Misty Peaks region, several hikers discovered a large tower, similar in design to the others around the country. However, upon closer inspection it was discovered that it has similar runes and carvings on it as the ruins that contain magma rubies. Unfortunately, a pair of wyverns- a Gold Rathian and a Silver Rathalos- seem to have made the area around the tower their nesting ground."

"Okay, so kill the Raths and get the ruby?" Wes asked quickly, though the crimson eyed man could tell it was a simple jump to a logical conclusion. "That seems easy enough."

"If you would allow me to finish," the Corps Head stated, folding his hands behind his back. "You will _not _be hunting the wyverns. Based on the reports from the hikers and a small team we sent in to investigate previously, the Raths are far more vicious than others of their species, having been the cause of an entire village's destruction as the team fled the tower. You are only to retrieve the ruby. Do not engage the beasts unless it is absolutely necessary, lest they turn their rage on any of the surrounding villages in the region."

"So, we're sneaking in then?" Sapphire inquired. "How will that work out when we drop in? That's kind of a flashy entrance right there…"

"The ship will land outside the valley the tower is located in. There's an easy path for you to follow towards the structure. From there, you are to make your way inside, retrieve the magma ruby, and get out, without alerting the beasts to your presence. The location of their nest is unknown, so be wary, and keep your eyes skyward. Now, if there are no other questions, you'd best finish preparing and be off. Good luck and good day."

The four hunters glanced between each other, with Wes and Viper sharing a shrug before they wordlessly departed the office. Balestra returned to his desk and grabbed another file, opening it slowly.

"Snow Veritas… Specifically requests to be partnered with her brother, Frost Veritas, at any available opportunity… Perhaps I will have to investigate this matter as well…"

* * *

Frost landed hard on the beach of the island, dropping into a low crouch and kicking up sand around him. Snow landed just behind him, followed by the hunter Zephyr.

"Where did Ruby and Emerald go?" the huntress asked, glancing up and down the beach. "There wasn't too much of a gust, but I don't think they landed anywhere near us…"

"Perhaps we should go and find them before locating our quarry, hmm?" Zephyr suggested, shifting his long sword to his waist. Frost noted the older hunter wore his blade in much the same way that he did, having moved it from his back to his side.

Glancing around, the masked hunter realized that this beach was familiar; they were on the same island as they were on the first job they'd gone on for the Master Corps. Further down the sandy expanse still stood the old stone entrance to the ruin he and the others had explored all those months ago.

The hunter turned his gaze to the sea, sensing a presence below the waves, and it was fast approaching. He instinctively reached for the handle of his blue-bladed long sword and drew it in one swift motion, just as a massive white-hided beast shot out of the sea straight towards the group! Snow and Zephyr both dove out of the way of the beast as it sailed through the air, and Frost leapt to the side while swinging his blade, dealing a shallow cut to its side as it passed him.

"…Or, maybe our quarry will locate us before we can find them," Zephyr said with a hint of sarcasm.

The Ivory Lagiacrus kicked up sand in all directions as it landed, sliding to a stop and turning to face the three with its glowing yellow eyes, eyeing them hungrily. Zephyr drew his own long sword in response, a pale white blade that seemed to emit an icy vapor as it left the bandage wrapped scabbard, and held it before him with his legs spaced apart in some strange combat stance the other two hadn't seen before.

"Alright, back me up, both of you. Let's make this quick."

"Well, this scenario seems a little familiar, huh, Frost?" Snow asked, drawing her short sword and standing beside her brother with her shield raised. The leviathan roared as the three hunters charged towards it, weapons raised.

* * *

"Dammit Ruby, come on! That thing is practically screaming at us to go and take it down! Why're you having us just sit tight in a freakin' bush?!"

"Because Balestra ordered us to keep an eye on those two to get an idea of what they're capable of," the red-haired huntress whispered, keeping herself concealed in the foliage with Emerald about fifty meters from the fight on the beach. "He's been getting really intrigued with them lately, and he said this was important."

"So? Why can't you just hang back while I go and shoot the thing full of arrows?" Emerald hissed, not at all pleased with the situation. "I was expecting a hunt, not spy work!"

"They might've seen us land together, so if one of us doesn't show up they'll ask about the other," Ruby replied, shushing the green-haired archer. "And I don't think Balestra would be at all happy if we were to blow our cover."

"Alright, alright, fine. So, what's the cover story then? We'll need something if we're going to explain us not showing up to help."

"I don't know, we'll just say we landed in a ditch or something and it took us a while to climb out. Maybe we got waylaid by a pack of Jaggi, maybe there was another Ivory Lagiacrus; it doesn't matter what we say as long as it's believable." The red haired huntress turned her attention back to the battle unfolding on the beach, watching intently from the pair's hiding spot. "Now come on, let's see what those two can do."

"Depends on if that Zephyr guy does more of the work," Emerald muttered. "He looks like a tough customer for sure, and the Guild specifically asked for him to join up on this one… Was Balestra thinking straight when he asked you to keep an eye on the twins while a third wheel was taking part?"

"Emmy, shut up and watch."

* * *

Frost weaved away from the leviathan's snapping jaws just in time, narrowly evading its rows of sharp fangs. He leapt back away from the creature and swung his long sword in the same move, cutting a thin line in the side of the Ivory Lagiacrus' head. Sliding to a stop, he held his sword up defensively, though the beast had its focus elsewhere already.

Snow had quickly rushed the creature while Frost kept it busy, dealing a number of cuts to its neck and arms, some much deeper than others. She twisted away as the leviathan brought the bulk of its body down in a body slam, practically dancing her way to safety as it crashed onto the beach. Before it recovered from the attack, the white haired huntress dealt several more slashes to its neck before leaping away and backpedaling furiously to evade a massive burst of electricity the Ivory Lagiacrus summoned across its body.

As the lightning died down, Frost charged the creature again, sheathing his long sword as he did. He turned his gaze toward the Lagiacrus' neck, eying a familiar wound there: Snow had cut a triangle-shaped mark into its hide, acting as a target for him to use his quickdraw on. The beast turned to face Frost as he neared, sliding away as it did. This didn't cause him to change course, though, even when the leviathan tried to clamp its jaws down on the long sword user again. Instead, he leapt through the Ivory Lagiacrus' gaping maw, rolling to a stop with the triangle wound directly above him.

Without a moment's hesitation, Frost activated the quickdraw, firing his blade out from his scabbard at an incredible speed. He caught the hilt in midair as it launched free, swinging it at the leviathan's neck with enough force to cleave a boulder in two.

Just before the blade could connect, though, the Ivory Lagiacrus suddenly twisted its neck away, coiling itself up like a corkscrew. It unwound just as fast, slamming its tail into the hunter's chest and sending him reeling. The masked hunter's blade was thrown from his grasp with the force of the quickdraw still behind it, flipping through the air and landing some thirty meters up the beach.

The hunter recovered quickly, grunting in irritation as a wave of pain coursed through his arm, but he still forced himself to stand. Just in time, too: the hunter leapt back with barely enough time to spare as the Lagiacrus' jaws snapped shut next to him, the creature intent on devouring the disarmed hunter. He landed lightly, twisting around sharply on his feet and driving his fist directly into the leviathan's snout, striking it with enough force to cause it to reel back in pain.

Frost took a few steps back, rejoining Snow as he came to a stop. Zephyr, meanwhile, was laughing to himself and clapping, walking towards the pair as the beast recovered from the blow the masked hunter had dealt it.

"Not bad at all, you two!" he commended. "Excellent teamwork! That would've dropped it if you hadn't gotten hit there, Frost. Though your form was a little off... Here, let me show you how it's done."

The older hunter charged at the leviathan, holding his long sword at his side in the same way Frost did. The Lagiacrus fired an orb of lightning at the man, but he easily sidestepped the slow projectile as he approached it. Frost and Snow both ducked away from the blast it produced, rolling to their feet in time to see Zephyr crouch under the leviathan's neck as it whipped past him. The older hunter leapt up before the creature's tail swung towards him as well, the leviathan attempting to bat him away with its long lash.

Frost eyed the man's movements carefully as he positioned his arm at an angle, his hand open and ready above the hilt of his sword. In the exact moment the Lagiacrus' tail whipped towards him, Zephyr's blade shot out from its scabbard in a burst of icy mist, the pale blade seeming to freeze the air around it as it left the sheath. The man caught the handle just as the tip left the scabbard, swinging it upwards at the leviathan's tail and slicing almost six feet off the end of the appendage in one go. The slash seemed to extend to the ground below, splitting the sand from the force of the strike and freezing it in midair as the pale sword's frigid mist reached it, forming spiked tendrils of ice from the impact point.

Zephyr landed effortlessly from the attack while the Ivory Lagiacrus roared in agony, flinging itself forward in pain at the loss of its tail. It rolled over onto its legs again and glanced back, seeing the frostbitten wound at the base of its appendage and growling angrily. Zephyr didn't stop his attack there though: he swung his blade back and severed the ice block his previous attack caused, launching it into the air. In one quick move, he spun about and kicked the icy chunk with all his strength. The blow sent the large block through the air and into the side of the leviathan's head, causing it to roar in surprise and pain as some of the icicles pierced its hide.

"There, that should keep its attention on me for a little bit!" Zephyr said, taking his combat stance again as the creature roared furiously at him. "Snow, come give me a hand, hmm? And Frost, you'd do well to get your sword! Alright, let's go!"

Zephyr reengaged the beast, holding its attention completely. Snow stood dumbstruck for a moment before shaking herself out of her stunned state and going to rejoin the fray. Before she could take a single step, though, Frost grabbed her arm.

"Huh? What is it?" she asked, glancing back at him. He let out a long, worried sigh. He wasn't at all keen on the idea of letting her go into battle while he was at a distance where he couldn't assist her, but without his sword there was little he could do aside from beating the monster to death, which he would –and possibly could- do if it were at all sensible.

"Don't worry, Frost, I'll be fine," she replied with a warm smile. "Just get your sword and come help us! Let's see if we can't bring this thing down!"

Frost took a moment to look after the white haired huntress as she ran off to combat the leviathan before turning and racing across the beach for his sword. It took him a few moments of running to reach the blue blade, which he immediately wrenched free from the sand. The edge had been badly dulled by the last quickdraw, so the hunter took to sharpening the Ivory Lagiacrus sword with his whetstone. It took him almost two minutes of work to fully grind a new edge onto the blade, but when he lifted it up he could tell it was back to its original sharpness by the faint white glint that ran along its edge.

The masked hunter turned his gaze up from the blade to see how the fight was progressing. Zephyr and Snow's ice element weapons were proving to be far more efficient at damaging the Ivory Lagiacrus than his lightning element sword, though neither had managed to inflict a solid hit on the beast since the older hunter's 'demonstration'. Frost silently cursed, knowing that, had his first draw made contact, the fight would've been over just as easily as the other Lagiacrus they had fought all those months ago. He didn't wait any longer though, rushing off to rejoin the battle, sword in hand.

However, as he neared the fight, he saw Snow get knocked to the ground by a sudden flick of the Lagiacrus' tail. Zephyr had taken a bigger hit from the beast which had knocked him into the water, and he was currently swimming towards shore, unable to assist the huntress as the leviathan pinned her down with its leg. The huntress yelped in pain, her shield pinned between her and the creature's leg as it attempted to crush her beneath its bulk, and her sword had landed a few feet outside of her reach, leaving her without any offensive options.

Something seemed to snap inside him at the sight, and the same feeling of rage that had filled him during the battle with the Stygian Zinogre all those months ago came rushing back. Beneath his helm, Frost centered his icy glare at the leviathan, twirling his sword once and driving the tip into the beach. With a furious roar, the masked hunter charged at the beast, dragging his sword through the sand next to him as he did. The blade began to spark with electricity as it split the earth, launching up bolts of lightning behind him as he ran headlong at the Lagiacrus.

Before the beast could do any more harm to Snow, Frost was upon it, swinging his long sword in an upwards arc directly into its side. A large bolt of lightning trailed his blade as it left the ground and cleaved through the scales and hide of the Lagiacrus, knocking it away with a howl of pain. The wound, while grievous, didn't seem to slow the creature much, and it soon began to charge up a massive orb of electricity in its maw, blue sparks dancing across its dorsal spikes as it did so.

Frost didn't show a single shred of fear, instead sheathing his sword and rushing at the leviathan as fast as he could. His arm was still in pain from his earlier attempt at a quickdraw, but he knew he could handle another one, especially after having watched Zephyr's attack beforehand. Snow was still grounded behind him though, gasping for air now that the beast's weight had been lifted off of her. He couldn't just evade this attack; it would hit her, and possibly Zephyr as well, if he tried to help her.

With a short roar, the Ivory Lagiacrus launched the massive orb at the hunter before it, who watched the blast closely as it neared him. Before it struck, he lifted his blade up and partially drew it, enough so that about a foot of the blue blade was exposed. Frost braced himself as the ball of lightning slammed into his sword, sending thousands of volts of electricity into his sword and arms, shocking him to his very core.

Even this didn't stop him though. He _would _kill this beast. _Nothing _harmed Snow, ever. He made sure of it. He glared up at the stunned creature through his closed Barioth helmet; the Lagiacrus seemed like it couldn't believe the man was still standing, or that he had taken the entire blast without breaking stance. Frost could feel the massive amount of lightning now stored in his blade, which he fully sheathed as he again charged at the creature. The blade seemed _alive_, with numerous sparks of electricity escaping through the scabbard as he neared the baffled monster.

As he neared the beast, he held his sword arm out above the hilt, just as Zephyr had before. He knew the timing of his sword: when it would leave the scabbard, how to reduce the amount of pain that would course through his arm, the length of the blade, everything. He leapt forward into the air before pressing the release, and the long sword erupted from its sheath, the blue blade alight with the power it had stored within. Frost caught the blade just as it left the scabbard, swinging it up in a massive flash of lightning that seemed to rip from his sheath and straight through the Lagiacrus' entire body. Thunder boomed around the entire area as the blast split the earth behind it and even traveled to the ocean, roaring across the sea's surface and slicing apart waves in a long line extending almost twenty meters off shore.

Frost landed hard on his feet, dropping into a crouch as a fresh wave of agony coursed through his arm. It wasn't nearly as bad as he would have thought, however; after a blast like that, he was surprised he even _had_ an arm. If he hadn't positioned his arm the way Zephyr had shown him…

The long sword user spared a glance up at the leviathan as it growled at him angrily, as if it was intending to attack him again. Frost calmly stood back up, swinging his blade to clear off the coating of blood that covered it, and sheathing it at his side. No sooner had the length of the blue bladed sword entered his sheath than the entirety of the Lagiacrus' body split lengthwise, each half collapsing to the ground opposite the other as Frost turned away from the dead leviathan.

* * *

"H… Holy _shit…"_ Emerald whispered, almost falling over backwards in shock from the sight. "You… you saw that, right? I'm not just seeing things?"

"He… he cut it _in half?!_" Ruby gasped, hardly able to believe her own eyes. "How did he…? How did he survive that blast? And more importantly, how did he manage to cleave the whole thing in two?!"

"You're asking me?!"

"That was rhetorical! I have no idea how he could've pulled something like that off… He practically created a lightning bolt right there!"

"Come to think of it… Ruby, look up!" Emerald said quickly, turning her gaze skyward, and the red-haired huntress followed suit.

"What? There's nothing but a bunch of clouds, Emmy," she mumbled, glancing around for anything out of the ordinary.

"That's just it: those are storm clouds!" the green-haired archer pointed out. "It was a completely clear day when we landed! Not a cloud in sight!"

"Y… You're right!" the red haired huntress gasped. Earlier, it had been sunny and bright, but now it was dark and cloudy, as if a storm had moved into the space over the island they were on. "Where did that come from?"

"And look at the beach where he charged the thing; the ground is completely torn up! The sand is even smoking!"

"…Whatever that guy can do, there's no way we can find out from just watching," Ruby mumbled, still in complete shock. "…Come on, we'd better get over there and rejoin them. Try to act like we didn't see anything until the last few seconds, okay?"

"Don't have to tell me twice…"

* * *

"Frost! Are you alright?" Snow asked worriedly, seeing her brother duck into a crouch again as he clutched his arm. She ran over to his side and dropped to her knees, beginning to tend to his arm. Zephyr had reached the shore before Frost had bisected the creature, and after looking over the fallen leviathan's corpse let out a long, hearty laugh.

"Never in my life did I ever think I'd see the day when someone could slice a Lagiacrus in half like this!" he said, walking over to the pair. "You definitely fixed your form there, too. If you hadn't, I doubt this thing would be dead, or that you'd still have an arm... Still, seeing this amount of force behind one swing, and using the Lagiacrus' lightning as an extension of your sword... That's something I don't think I'd have ever imagined seeing."

Frost nodded at the older hunter in acceptance of the praise, though he quickly returned his focus to his arm as a fresh wave of pain rolled through it. Snow had removed the Barioth plate armguards and rolled up his sleeve to get a better look at the limb, gasping a little at the sight. His upper arm was discolored in several places, whether it be through bruising or torn muscles. It certainly wasn't anything to laugh off, but Frost still forced himself back to his feet after Snow applied some herbal bandages to his arm.

"Zephyr, if I might ask… Where did you get your sword?" Snow asked, breathing a sigh of relief at her brother's recovery. "I haven't seen anyone else use that before, so I thought Frost was the only one…"

"Ah, so you had your sword modded!" the long sword user chuckled. "Well, truth be told, I'm the one who helped test the original design. My sword is the first quickdraw long sword in history! An old smith from Moga Village by the name of Lumin helped envision the whole idea, but he wasn't able to find anyone to try it out. I happened to be visiting some friends at the time, and since I had less risk than most others would when using the mechanism, I decided to take a crack at it."

"Less risk? What do you mean by that?"

"Well…" The older hunter undid the straps holding the Lagiacrus mail to his right arm, allowing the layers of blue scaled to drop to the ground and leaving his arm covered by only a black glove and a long black sleeve. Grasping the cuff of the sleeve, he pulled it up, revealing the arm below to the other two.

His arm was completely prosthetic! It looked as though it were a metallic skeleton, with two prevalent 'bones' making up the long sword user's forearm, along with thinner metal bar between them. Red and blue wire-like objects wrapped around each and crossed between at various points, and in the man's elbow a Lagia Sapphire was fastened, glowing a dull blue color as it powered the limb.

"Had a nasty run in some number of years ago with an Elder Dragon. Took a horn to the shoulder, and it ended up being bad enough of an injury that it had to be amputated. Fortunately, a few years later my friend Joshua managed to devise a way to make prosthetic limbs, and I was able to get back into hunting."

"That's… great, I guess…" Snow mumbled, taken aback by the strange device. Zephyr merely laughed at her reaction before covering his arm up again and strapping his armor back on.

"Like I said though, you're lucky you've still got a real arm. Even if I'm good with the quickdraw, chances are someone with an ordinary limb would be able to do much better than me. I can't feel anything in the entire arm, which means that I won't get a feel for the precise timing of my own sword. You on the other hand… For someone who took it up as he went along, you've been doing pretty well for yourself, even if you're a bit shaky. If you want, I don't mind giving you a few pointers sometime, Frost."

The masked hunter grunted in reply as he fastened his own armor back onto his arm, grimacing a little as the straps pressed against his wounds. He turned his attention back up the beach, seeing a pair of figures jogging towards them.

"Ruby, Emerald!" Snow greeted, waving at the pair as they came to a stop by them, huffing in exhaustion. "Are you two alright? Where were you?"

"Well, we landed in the middle of a Jaggi nest," Ruby explained, straightening herself up after catching her breath. "It took us awhile to get out of there."

"Yeah, it wasn't exactly easy trying to hold back thirty of the little buggers while this one was climbing out of there," the green haired huntress added, sighing irately at her nearly empty quiver. "Then there was the trouble it took to find you guys. We only showed up in time to see Frosty's little lightfest he put on."

"Too bad you were late to the party," Zephyr said with a short chuckle. "Unfortunately, our friend here had to split."

"Yeah... How did he manage to pull that off...?" the red-haired huntress inquired slowly. "I've never seen anything like that before..."

"It's a new trait that many modded long swords possess, actually. While the blades are indeed shorter, they hold the same amount of space for elemental properties," the older hunter explained. "Since there isn't extra blade length to accommodate the element, though, it channels through the weapon in odd ways. It's because of that channeling that a long sword can absorb an elemental attack of the same element it held initially. It can only keep the charge for so long, and it can be used in two ways: either swinging it like normal, dealing extra element damage, or releasing it all in one burst, creating a sort of 'extension of the blade' if you will. This is more of a raw attack than an elemental one, though. As for the whys of these things... Well, sometimes I think it's better not to ask too many questions."

"Right... In any case, let's get a flare up so we can head home," Ruby said. "No need to dawdle around doing nothing, right?"

"Sure, let's just get our carves in," Snow replied. "There should be at least a few good materials we can salvage off of this thing…"

Frost pulled a flare from his pouch and launched it skyward before joining the others in carving the halves of the leviathan's corpse, taking a moment to eye the storm clouds that had gathered overhead. Snow had also seen the black clouds and gave him a worried glance, which he returned with a short shrug. It didn't take long for the airship to arrive to pick them up, and soon the hunters were on their way back to Loc Lac.

* * *

Frost entered his room in the HQ building, followed by his sister. By the time they had returned to Loc Lac, it was almost midnight, and Snow had insisted on having Connor inspect the masked hunter's arm to ascertain whether there was any serious permanent damage. Fortunately, the worst he had were some torn muscles and a fracture in his forearm, which would only put him out of commission for a week or two at the most.

As soon as the door shut, the long sword wielder took to removing his helmet: he grasped the visor-like armor that covered his eyes and shifted it up to his forehead, removing the plate covering his face with his other hand as he did so. He dropped the small mask to the floor, as well as the larger helmet.

"Frost, we can't do things like that," Snow stated, sighing as her brother took a seat and began to remove the white Barioth armor strapped to his arms and legs. "If you had lost control, or if the others had been watching too closely…"

"I wasn't going to let you die. You know that."

"I do know, but… you saw those clouds. You need to pay attention to that next time… If either of us loses control, it's all over. We'll have to start again."

"Snow. Nothing happened. We're safe. No one knows."

"That doesn't mean we can afford to be careless, Frost," she replied. "Ever since Kalvata, we've had to-"

"I know. It hasn't been easy."

"…Aren't you at all worried about what could happen though? If someone who didn't understand found out, who knows what they'd try…"

"If worst comes to worst, we'll flee again."

"I'm tired of running though! That's what we've been doing for… heaven knows how long now. Keeping secrets, telling lies… There's only so much I can do, Frost… You're lucky you can hide behind the mask, but me?"

"There's a reason for that, Snow."

"I know, I know… You're too honest for your own good… Still, it's easier to say nothing than it is to say everything…"

By then, the long sword user had removed his armored longcoat, as well as the long sleeved shirt beneath it, leaving him in a sleeveless black shirt. Numerous jagged scars covered his right arm, many of them electrical burns caused by absorbing the Ivory Lagiacrus' lightning burst. He gazed at the bandages silently, eying the damage done to him; it hurt more than ever, yet his face didn't betray a single sign of pain. He tightened his hand into a fist, noting that doing so caused a few specks of blood to appear on the white bandages.

"To say nothing isn't as easy as you think. There's a lot I want to say, but that's everything I _shouldn't _say. I need to keep you safe. In the end, what matters is that we survive, and if that means I have to shout to the heavens who we are, so be it. I won't lose you because of our past, or our secrets."

"…You always were the overprotective one…" Snow sighed, shaking her head. "Are you sure you're okay though?"

"Wounds are only temporary. Maybe they'll scar, but they won't hold me back."

"I… You don't need to worry about me so much… Hell, you'd probably be better off that way. You're always taking such big hits for me, but I never get to do that for you. It's not like I can't take a few hits every now and then… I'm just as durable as you are, after all. And when it leaves you with even worse injuries than me… How can I not feel bad about it?"

"There's a difference though, Snow. We might share most of our past burdens, yet there's some we don't share. If I were gone, you'd have a much easier time with it all. When that time comes, I want to make sure you at least have a decent future."

"And what about you? Where will you go then? We've been together for the past twenty-two years, Frost! You're the only family I have!"

"…We'll work something out."

The twins both froze as someone began to urgently knock on the huntress' door, glancing first at the door, then each other. Frost quickly backed out of sight, nodding at his sister once he was sure he wasn't visible. She nodded back, mouthing the words "We'll talk later" to him as she went to see who was knocking.

"Sorry for disturbing you," a voice said. It only took the hunter a moment to recognize it as the voice of the Corps officer, Trance.

"Is there another job for us? This late?"

"No, no, nothing like that. But… A team of our hunters was really badly wounded on their most recent assignment, and I thought I'd let you know that they're all in the emergency wing now. Most of them are friends of yours…"

"What?! Who?!"

"Wes, Viper, Amethyst, and Sapphire."

* * *

**_Author Notes: _**_Please review! Well well, Frost is definitely showing off his stance as them most lethal character in my The Master Corps now, huh? Funny story, I had initially planned on him killing the Lagiacrus in the same way he did in Chapter 3 as a bit of a call back to it, but I decided that wasn't overkill enough. And Zephyr makes his reappearance as well! I still remember the days of The Hunter's Oath where he kinda fell out of the picture for a while... I'm seeking to avoid giving any characters the "Zephyr Treatment" from now on, unless it's intentional. This also reminds me of something I forgot to point out last chapter: surnames! I never gave any of my characters last names in THO, but I decided after about six seconds of internal debate to find something for everyone. "Adler" is York and Wes' surname, and it's German for 'Eagle", while Zephyr's, "Soyokaze", is Japanese for "Gale". So, his name could technically translate to "Wind Wind", but that isn't what I was going for. Westward Gale sounds much better, huh?_

_Another thing I forgot; RWBY volume two came out! Volume one was amazing, so I'm excited to see what Rooster Teeth has cooking up for us all now. Truth be told, the Gem Sisters are partially based off the cast, though the only one who show any real resemblance to one of them is Ruby (kinda obvious, but eh). And, it's also time for a character theme song reveal! Zephyr's theme is "Rope" by The Foo Fighters. For one reason or another that song just reminds me of him; probably the whole "Teamwork" aspect of it all. At least, that's how I interpret it..._

_And, on a final note, The Master Corps has officially overcome The Hunter's Oath in word count! I've done in 13 chapters what it took me 49 to do before; write a compelling story! Of course, we aren't really close to being don yet or anything, but just think: in the amount of time it's taken you to read these 13 chapters, it took you that same amount or less to read an entire story. I was definitely feeling ambitious with this one. That, and a few side projects I'm working on aside from helping edit some of dashboardgecko's works and my own writing. In his last chapter, his use of OC's included one of mine, a character named Damien. I won't get around to his story for a while, since he's not a TMC character, but he'll have a fun story as well. _

**_Playing: MH3U, Metal Gear Rising, Devil May Cry HD Collection_**

**_Listening to: RWBY Volume 1 soundtrack (best purchase of my life, musically speaking), Papa Roach, Avenged Sevenfold_**

**_Watching: RWBY Volume 2_**

**_Reading: The Lost Civilization: DLC by dashboardgecko, Here, Bullet by Brian Turner_**


	14. Nightmare

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 14- Nightmare

"**Alright, listen up in there! We're about three miles east of the tower! We'll be touching down at the Misty Peaks base camp in just a few more moments! You'll go the rest of the way on foot; we can't afford to get too close, since we don't have intel on the Rath nest location, only that it's in the general vicinity of the target. Try not to call attention to yourselves, else you might risk pissing them off!"**

"Duly noted!" Viper replied, pulling his Green Nargacuga helm over his head.

**"Once you've got the ruby, head back here on foot and we can take off. If you absolutely have to, launch a flare and I'll be there in a matter of minutes, but try to avoid that. A signal like that can be seen by anything for miles."**

"Alright, got it," Wes said, pulling his white Barioth-pelt hood over his head as he felt the airship touchdown. The doors to the cabin slid open as the four hunters within got to their feet, allowing them to step out into the cool night air. The dual blade wielder smirked as he looked around, his gaze falling on the hunting ground for the first time in his life.

True to the region's name, there were many tall mountains in the surrounding area, one of which they were now standing on. Or, more accurately, in; the base camp was a moderately-sized cave cut into the side of a cliff, with a large bed, a couple supply boxes, and a cat-like statue that made Wes' nose twitch in irritation due to his allergies. Two paths led down from the camp: the eastern one which led to the main hunting grounds, and the seldom-used western one leading towards the lesser known regions.

The grounds themselves were immense, as was the ecosystem. Aside from the large, rocky mountains, there was an expansive forest at the base of the mountains, as well as a sizable lake far to the north. Despite the clouds surrounding the mountains near the peaks, the sky was clear, with thousands of stars shining brilliantly and a golden moon casting a dim glow across the earth, giving them more than enough light to see clearly.

"Wow... I've heard a ton of stories about this place, but I never thought it would be this beautiful!" Sapphire said excitedly, taking in all of their surroundings.

"First time visiting, eh? Same here," Wes chuckled, stepping away from the ledge. "But we didn't exactly come here to sight see. C'mon, let's get moving... Hey, Viper, where's Amethyst?"

"Huh? She's right... here?" the archer mumbled confusedly, glancing over to where the purple-haired huntress had been standing. "The hell? She was right by the ship!"

"I'm over here." The trio turned their heads towards the bowgunner's voice, seeing her standing on the western path behind a tree. "I thought we were going already..."

"Ammy, you can't just walk off like that!" Sapphire chided, walking over to the bowgunner. "What if you got lost or we couldn't find you or something? We need to stick together!"

"Sorry..."

Wes and Viper glanced at each other and shrugged before following after the pair. The road down the mountain was a long one, and was so steep that the path had to zigzag down the mountain to prevent hikers from falling. At least, that's what Wes assumed; the part they were walking along now was a thin road with a fifty foot drop right next to it, a hazard that appeared to have claimed a few lives already from the patches of dried blood coating some of the rocks.

"Yeesh... Might want to stay away from there," the blue- and green-eyed hunter muttered, inching away from the edge as much as he could. The rock face below had looked almost completely flat, meaning there wouldn't be any handholds for him or the others to catch if they fell. Fortunately, they managed to make it down most of the mountain without incident, stopping just above the base for a short break.

"Saph, exactly how far away is this tower?" Viper asked, taking a swig from his canteen. "It took us almost a half hour to climb down this damn mountain!"

"Hold on, let me check." The blue-haired huntress opened her red satchel and pulled out a map of the area they had been given, unfurling it on a nearby rock while the others gathered around.

"We're just west of the camp, about here," she said, pointing to the left of the camp symbol. "The tower is in the center of this area here." The huntress dragged her finger over to a tower symbol surrounded by a ring of mountains and a red outline.

"What're those lines for?" Wes asked, noting both it and a larger yellow ring encompassing most of the map.

"The red one is the area the Rath nest lies in," Amethyst replied lazily. "The yellow one shows the areas in danger if they get mad."

"That's... a lot of space..." Viper mumbled, staring at the map intently. "So, based on the legend, we're still about two and a half miles away... I'm guessing it'll take us maybe another half-hour, forty-five minutes if we gotta make a pit stop."

"Looks like it," the short sword wielder remarked. "There's a path that leads through the forest down there and into a valley, which will take us right to the tower."

"With any luck, there'll be some trees for us to use as cover once we get nearby," Wes said, gazing at the red circled area. "Else we'll be easy targets for a Rath, especially G-level Gold and Silver ones."

"Good thing someone packed extra smoke bombs," Viper grinned, pushing himself up from his crouched position. "I say we get a move on. Sooner we get in, the sooner we get out, and the sooner we don't have to worry about our flying wyvern hosts anymore."

"Way ahead of you." Wes, Viper, and Sapphire barely turned around in time to see Amethyst already heading down the path towards the woods. They scrambled to pull their things together before running after her.

"Ammy, what did I say about that?!"

"Sorry..."

The group continued down the path and into the thick forest at the base of the mountain. The trees blotted out much of the sky, but there was still enough moonlight shining through the leaves to give them visibility.

"Keep an eye open for any movements," Viper said, taking the lead along with Wes. "The worst we'll have to deal with in here is a Nargacuga. If we're lucky, it'll just be Jaggi and Bullfango."

"So, basically nothing we can't handle," Wes said confidently. "Hopefully we'll run into a few little guys for us to take care of; last three jobs I've been on have been monster-free."

"Guess that's the breaks sometimes," Sapphire remarked. "At least you were able to relax a little, right?"

"Not sure if that underwater ruin qualified as 'relaxing'..."

"Okay, aside from almost drowning."

"There's something up ahead," Amethyst stated abruptly. Wes and Viper glanced at her quickly, not knowing if she was joking or not.

"Whaddya mean? I don't see anything," Viper mumbled, staring down the path. "You're just pullin' our legs."

"No, Ammy has really good hearing," the short sword wielder said, lowering her voice. "What does it sound like?"

"Pack of Jaggi, one alpha. Snacking on some herbivores they hunted. Maybe... two dozen little ones."

"How can you tell all of that based on sound?" Wes asked, straining his ears to hear whatever sounds the purple-haired huntress could. Try as he might, though, he could only hear the faint rustling of leaves in the wind.

"Practice..." the bowgunner replied simply. "And maybe luck..."

"Well, let's get a plan for how we can take care of these buggers," Viper said. "We got two approaches: stealthy or loud. We either sneak around them or we take them all out."

"I say we take 'em out. If one of them spots us the whole pack will be on us," the blue- and green-eyed hunter stated. "Better we get the jump on them instead."

"So, what? We just rush in slashing left and right?" Sapphire asked. "I don't think we'd get really far with that many of them..."

"I've got an idea..."

* * *

Wes gazed down at the pack of Jaggis from his perch hidden in the trees. There was a C-shaped clearing filled with the smaller ankle biters, at the center of which stood a Great Jaggi feasting on an Aptonoth carcass below a tree. Several other bloodied, skeletal remains of the herbivore's herd were scattered about the meadow, being ravenously chewed apart by the smaller creatures.

There were a number of trees in the clearing, but only between Wes and the central tree where the pack leader was eating. He and the others had spent the past ten minutes planning how to attack, and the method they had decided on was more than suitable to his tastes. He glanced down to see Sapphire waiting at the base of the tree, sword and shield in hand, waiting for his signal. Amethyst and Viper had snuck into the brush on either end of the area, also waiting for his mark to open fire.

_Alright... Let's get this party started!_

Wes let out a loud, bird-like whistle, and almost immediately the long range weapon users started firing projectiles at the carnivores, Amethyst unleashing a torrent of rapid fire shots from her bowgun and Viper launching rows of arrows from his bow. Sapphire also rushed into the fray, engaging the pack from another front. The huntress easily took down a pair of Jaggis with her sword before they noticed her, and she leapt back a great distance to pull a number of them away from the main group.

Wes, meanwhile, began to make his way through the trees towards the center of the meadow. The pack leader had been distracted from its meal by the assault, but it hadn't moved from its position, instead barking orders at the ankle biters and roaring aggressively at the unseen attackers. The hunter smirked to himself as he jumped onto a thick tree limb and passed around the trunk onto another higher up one. From there, he leapt up and caught another branch and swung himself forward, catching it with both hands. He flipped around the limb and planted himself on top of it, kicking off and landing on a branch about twenty feet above the Great Jaggi.

The hunter leapt off the branch without a second thought, plummeting down towards the unaware creature below. Wes extended his wrist blades with a quick flick of both wrists as he neared the beast. It only took a moment for him to land on the beast's head, and before the pack leader could even register what was happening Wes had driven both blades into its head and neck, grievous wounds despite the thin blades. He pulled his left blade free from the Great Jaggi's neck and plunged it into the carnivore's eye, dealing a fatal wound to the beast.

"Keep an eye out next time, eh?" Wes grinned, freeing his blades from the dead creature's carcass and jumping to the ground as it toppled over. He smirked as he glanced at the remaining pack members, the number of carnivores having been almost cut in half by their surprise attack. "Hey, you little freaks! Look at your leader now!"

Most of the creatures turned their gazes towards the hunter and their fallen alpha beside him, yipping at each other in confusion. A number of them split off and ran into the woods while a few others stayed behind to attack the hunters. A pair of the ankle biters charged at him, while three others went off individually to attack the other hunters.

Both of the Jaggi attempted to bite down on the hunter, who quickly jumped back to evade them. He thrust one of his blades onto the Jaggi on the right, impaling it through the neck and killing it instantly. The other tried to bite into him again, which he blocked by holding up his arm. The carnivore found its teeth unable to tear through the durable black leather vambraces Wes wore, though the pressure from its jaws still caused the dual blade wielder to flinch. He pulled his blade free from the dead beast and stabbed the Jaggi's torso three times, with the last thrust finding its mark in the carnivore's heart. With the threat to him dealt with, Wes tossed the carcass aside and turned to see how the other hunters were faring.

Viper had decided against using his bow for the creature, instead drawing his bone dagger and extending his wrist blade to combat it. Before it could even attempt an attack at the archer, he lunged forward and drove the dagger into the carnivore's neck. The beast yelped in pain before Viper drove his wrist blade deep into its skull. Though the Jaggi was no doubt dead on the spot, Viper took it a step further and retracted the blade before throwing a punch with his now-free arm into the side of its head, knocking the carcass to the ground.

The Jaggi that went after Amethyst attempted to whip its tail at her, but was met with the stock of her bowgun in retaliation. The dazed creature couldn't react as the huntress pulled a small lever on the side of her weapon, causing a thick, single-sided blade to flip out of the bottom of the bowgun, which she put to good use by slashing the Jaggi across the torso. The gunner finished the beast off by driving the bayonet into its jaw and firing a flame shot directly into its head, blowing the Jaggi away.

Lastly, Sapphire slashed her Jaggi three times and bashed it away with her shield when it tried to bite her. The wounded carnivore attempted to leap at the huntress again, but the short sword wielder evaded the attack by jumping straight up into the air, reaching almost five feet with a single kick. The confused Jaggi didn't have more than a second to register where the huntress had gone before she brought both of her feet down on its head, crushing its skull into the earth.

Once the hunters had dealt with the carnivores, they regrouped in the center of the field. None of them had suffered any real injuries during the fight, aside from the bite Wes stopped with his bracer. The blue- and green-eyed hunter was more enamored with Amethyst's bowgun than the results of the fight, though.

"What kind of weapon is that?" he asked, intrigued as he looked it over. "I've never seen a bowgun with a blade like that before."

"It's... kinda like a bowgun-switch axe hybrid, I guess..." the purple haired huntress replied quietly.

"Where did you get something like this? This isn't a simple mod, this is a complete reconstruction! Do you mind if I take a look at it?"

The gunner's only response to Wes' sudden attention was to bury her face in her hands and shrink away a little in embarrassment.

"Sorry, she doesn't do well with a lot of attention," the blue-haired huntress giggled, stepping in for her friend. "It's a prototype for a new weapon the science guys are making! It's supposed to be a cross between blademasters and gunners, giving hunters more versatility during hunts."

"That's a really good concept," Wes muttered, continuing to gaze at the bowgun. "I'd really like to take a crack at using that thing sometime."

"Well... I'd let you and all, but I have to turn it back into the science team after hunts..." Amethyst mumbled, having regained her composure. "Sorry..."

"Bah, oh well... Mind if I took a look now?"

"Hey, we don't really have time to be sitting around firing weapons off, bud," Viper said, tapping Wes on the shoulder. "C'mon, let's get goin'."

Amethyst and Viper began heading back down the path, while Wes and Sapphire followed after the dual blade wielder let out a disappointed sigh.

"Maybe there'll be another chance to try it out sometime," Sapphire said encouragingly.

"I hope so... A bowgun mounted with a switchblade! That's one of the best ideas I've heard yet..."

"You do seem to know your weapons, Wes," the huntress giggled. "What do you think is the best one you've seen yet?"

"That's hard to say... Frost's quickdraw mod is definitely one of the most lethal ones out there, but it has too many drawbacks to be a widespread thing. Jerome's old hunting horn was pretty effective too, if only because he could change the tune to play different buffer songs. Ruby's hammer has those explosive charges in it, Amethyst's bowgun has that blade attachment... Hell, rumors are going around that there are prototype weapons that can switch elements during hunts using something similar to switch axe phials. I'm going to have to get my hands on one of those... Sorry, am I boring you?"

"No, actually I find it all pretty cool! My sword only has a latent water element in it, so it's nothing too special. Hearing about all the other weapons out there, though... It's pretty darn awesome! Why do you stick with dual swords if you like so many other weapons, though?"

"Apart from the space it'd take up and the costs for maintaining all those things? Well, dual blades always just... stuck with me, I guess. I prefer using lighter weapons, after all. Heavy duty ones never worked out well, and I could always hit the fastest with two swords. So... I guess it was the perfect pick."

"I can relate to that. I like to be mobile on hunts so I can jump in and out of trouble, but a shield helps when I can't dodge. Plus, it makes a pretty decent throwing weapon. Remember that Great Baggi?"

"That's a good point... Most hunters wouldn't throw their shield like that, after all. Helped us bring it down easier, but you gotta be sure you won't miss when you do."

"I only do that if I really have to, don't worry! But what's the deal with the wrist blades? I've seen you use them a couple times now, but they don't seem effective against anything but small monsters."

"They work well as tools too, y'know. My pa made them a while back when he was still hunting regularly. Helped him out of a few tight pinches before, and they do more than just stab things. He actually sent me a letter saying he's found some 'inspiration' to try a few new things with them too. Lord knows what that could mean with him…"

"Well, I think they're pretty nifty! Definitely not something you see everywhere, that's for sure."

"Hey, lovebirds! Quiet down back there!" Viper said, lowering his voice. "We're heading into the valley now, so we need to keep an eye out for those Raths!"

Wes glanced ahead, noting that the forest was thinning out between two large mountains. At the end of the path, the four came to a stop on a short ledge overlooking the area. Several other mountains rose up in the distance, forming a large bowl almost two miles wide, filled with a mix of grass, trees, bushes, and rocks. A large tower stood in the center of the mountains, reaching high up into the sky. The air seemed more crisp and clear than even the main hunting grounds, and the only sound that could be heard in the area was the chirping of small insects, as well as the leaves bristling in the wind. The area was almost serene, though the tower had a rather ominous place in the middle of it all.

"That's pretty cool..." Amethyst muttered, gazing across the landscape.

"Alright, next stop is that tower," Wes grinned, taking the lead and leaping off the ledge, falling a few feet and landing in a crouch. The other hunters followed suit after him, and the four began to make their way across the field.

They decided to split up, as a group of four was easier to spot from the air than four individuals across a wide area. The hunters used different objects as cover as they made their way towards the spire, with Wes taking the most direct route possible, though with a good deal of cover as well. He ran from the cover of a tree and ducked behind a large boulder, scanning the air for either of the flying wyverns. He noted that several large patches of earth around the field were completely scorched, the largest one almost twenty feet in diameter. Whatever caused those must've been really old, and really angry.

The dual blade wielder glanced over to a bush about thirty feet to his left, where Sapphire was hidden. He nodded to the huntress, who quickly broke from cover and raced towards a downed tree, coming to a stop behind the thick log. Wes turned his gaze to the boulder Viper was at, and the archer made an all clear gesture, motioning him to move up to the base of the tower. Amethyst had already made it to the structure, having moved up quicker than the others due to a lack of cover.

The blue- and green-eyed hunter broke from cover, racing past Sapphire's tree and the remaining distance to the tower, sliding to a stop by the entrance next to the purple-haired bowgunner.

"We have a way in here?" he asked, gazing at the large, gray stone doors. They looked like they hadn't been opened in centuries, with the designs and engravings carved into them being eroded beyond recognition. A large staircase spiraled around the outside of the tower, leading up to the heights of the spire.

"Nope... I don't think we can get in this way," Amethyst replied. "These doors are too old, and I think they've been sealed from the inside..."

"Damn... Alright, how're we getting in then? Is there more than one entrance?"

"Not on this level, no..."

Viper and Sapphire joined the pair a moment later, ducking down low beside them.

"What's the verdict? Can we get in?" Viper asked, glancing at the large stone doors.

"Not unless we've got thirty kegs of gunpowder on us," Wes replied wryly. "There has to be another entrance..."

"I know where one is!" the blue-haired huntress whispered excitedly. "Ruby and I went on a mission like this a few weeks ago. The bottom of the tower was sealed, but there was an opening at the top too! If we can climb up there, we'll have a way in!"

"Wait wait wait, the top? As in... All the way up _there_?" the golden-eyed archer asked disbelievingly. "You've got to be kidding me..."

"No use sitting around moping about it..." Amethyst sighed, getting to her feet along with Sapphire. The huntresses began to make their way up the large spiraling staircase, while Viper remained where he was, dumbstruck.

"After all of that, we finally get to this damn tower, and now we have to go another mile up? I don't believe this..."

"Welcome to the club," Wes snarked, giving the archer a hand up before they followed after the rest of their team.

It was a long, painfully slow climb up the tower, due in part to the constant incline, but also because of their wariness of the skies. They were constantly scanning around, looking for any signs of the flying wyverns they were supposed to avoid. While they didn't actually see the Raths, the four of them were all on edge, avoiding unnecessary talking or noises.

That wasn't the only danger, though. The tower was definitely showing its age, and the stairs were deteriorated quite badly in some spots. There was an entire section that looked as though it would crumble at a moment's notice, forcing them to tread very lightly.

Wes assumed this was part of the reason Balestra assigned them all to this job. Not only did they have a good track record with exploration jobs, they also only carried lightweight weapons and armor among them. If a great sword user or a lance wielder had accompanied them instead, the added weight from the weapons could have easily overburdened the steps, and that wasn't even taking into account the heavy armors those types of hunters tended to wear.

After almost an hour of uneasy climbing, though, they were nearly at the top. The peak of the spire was about twenty feet above them, with the eroded surface of the tower to their left. In front of them was... nothing.

"Looks like the stairs broke away..." Amethyst mumbled. "That would explain the rubble at the base of the tower..."

"Oh, come on..." Viper groaned as they came to a stop. "After all of that, and now we can't even get up the rest of the way?"

"Hmm... Maybe there is!" Sapphire said hopefully. "Wes, you're really good at climbing; think you could get up there and pull us up?"

"Probably," he replied, eyeing the wall. A path up the surface of the tower was already clear to him. "I'll get up there and see if there's a heavy rock or something I can tie some rope to. This'll only take a second."

The blue- and green-eyed hunter kicked his way up the wall, grabbing hold of the nearest stone he could as he began to make his way up. He had seen two paths he could take: a slower one closer to the left, which would offer a safer route upwards due to an abundance of handholds, and a more risky one on the right, with less stable-looking grips and more distance between the stones. Naturally, Wes decided to take the path on the right, partially to get up the side quicker, but also to show off a little.

There weren't many footholds for him to use at first, though farther up the wall there was greater spacing in the stones. Using as much strength in his arms as he could, he pulled himself upwards towards a pair of handholds about five feet up, and for a moment the hunter was in open air. Fortunately, he had just enough reach to grab hold of the stones, though one broke away as he did, leaving him suspended on the side of the tower by one arm. A few small rocks fell towards the hunters below, who moved away to avoid getting hit.

"Hey, careful up there!" Viper hissed. "Don't need the whole wall coming down on us!"

"Right, sorry," Wes mumbled, pulling his free arm up and grabbing another handhold. It only took him a little bit longer to climb the rest of the way up, and soon the hunter was hoisting himself up onto the large circular platform that was the top of the spire.

The area was about thirty yards in diameter, with a large opening in the center about ten meters across. The ground itself was littered with large, broken stones, many of which had deep gashes carved into them. While he knew there was no way he could move one of the rocks on his own, fortunately there was a sizable one only a few meters from the cliff that was suitable for his needs. Wes pulled a rope dart out of his pouch and wrapped the sturdy cord around the boulder once, tying it tightly with a long length of rope left over for the others. He tossed it over the side to the others, and Viper climbed up first, followed by Sapphire, then Amethyst.

"Alright, that solves that problem," Viper said, glancing around the top of the structure. They were almost at cloud level, and in every direction, one could see the immense mountain range surrounding the valley. The moon hung directly above them, casting a pale golden light onto the grey structure.

"The entrance is over here," Wes said, pointing towards the hole in the center of the ground. After the hunter retrieved his rope dart, the four made their way over to the opening cautiously, noting that despite the seemingly stable ground below them, a number of cracks still lined the floor. They peered over the edge into the interior of the tower, the sight within stunning them.

Despite the aged appearance of the outside walls, the interior looked almost untouched. A moderately-sized spiral staircase led down onto the structure, looking as if it was made from polished marble. Numerous ring-like platforms encompassed the walls, connecting to the staircase at a number of levels. The upper levels were lit by strange, glowing yellow gems that were attached to the walls, though there seemed to be less further down, since the ground was far darker there.

"Good lord, who the hell built this?" the dual blade wielder muttered, in awe at the sight of the interior. "And for that matter, what's it even supposed to do...?"

"Some researchers said they thought an ancient civilization used them for storage," Sapphire replied. "But... They never really had anything in them, so they aren't sure."

"Well, I think this one does," Viper said. "Look, way down at the bottom. See something familiar?"

Wes' gaze followed where Viper had said, and sure enough, there was a subtle reddish glow at the bottom of the structure, brightening and dimming at regular intervals, the telltale glow of a magma ruby.

"Let's head in and take a short break," Sapphire said. "We haven't stopped since the base of the mountain, after all."

"I'm good with that," Viper replied with an exhausted sigh. "The higher powers know we've already climbed enough stairs for a lifetime..."

"Ah, don't be so dramatic, bow boy," Wes joked. "It's either half an hour of walking, or half a minute of falling. Your pick."

The group headed down the stairs to the first ring-platform, taking a seat in a small circle by one of the walls. The platforms were about five yards in width, giving them more than enough room to settle in.

"Alright, so, we won't have to worry about the Raths while we're in here, at least," Wes said, pulling his hood down. "Once we get the ruby, I think we should find a way to open the doors at the bottom of the tower. Save us some time, and keep Viper from complaining too much."

"Hey, shut up," Viper retorted, pulling a well done steak out of his pouch. "You're the one who kept bringing it up."

"That is a good plan, but we should still be careful," Sapphire stated. "We don't know how much noise those things could make when they open, and we still don't know where the nest is... What do you think, Amethyst?"

"Huh...? Oh, uh, sure, yeah, let's do that," the purple-haired huntress mumbled, shaking her head a little. "What were we talking about...? Sorry, I kinda zoned out..."

"Anyways," Viper interjected. "We find a way out through the bottom and make our way back to camp, while hopefully those Raths don't see us. Worst case scenario, they see us, and we have to fight them both at once."

"Let's just hope they don't see us," Sapphire remarked with a shudder. The four ate a quick snack of steaks and rations to replenish their stamina, topped off by some dash juice Wes had, before once again beginning their trek downwards.

"Why do you have so much of that crap on you?" the archer asked with a sour expression. "Dash juice tastes horrible."

"Really?" Wes replied, bemused. "There's a flavor out there you don't like?"

"I don't think many people do like it, to be honest..." Amethyst mumbled. "Tastes like the smell of combination garbage..."

"Oh, come on, it's not that bad."

"I hate to say it, but I agree with them," Sapphire said reluctantly. "It's not the worst thing I've ever had, but..."

"Seriously? I love dash juice!"

"...You might want to see a psychologist in that case, bud," Viper snarked, earning an irritated look from the dual sword user. "What? I'm just sayin'."

The four continued their downward descent, talking idly amongst themselves. The climb down took far longer than the climb up, to their frustration; the stairs were more gradual in their slope, winding around at least three times between levels. After about six levels of walking, Wes let out a long, irritated sigh.

"I feel like a snail moving like this... Can't we pick up the pace a little?"

"There's no real need," Sapphire commented. "I mean, sure, it's taking a while, but time isn't really an issue this time around."

"Yeah, not like we've got anything better to do..." Viper mumbled. "I think it's more important that we just take our time, keep our voices down, y'know?"

"Weren't you the one complaining about how long this was taking?" Wes asked.

"No, I was irritated by the distance, not the time. There's a difference."

The dual blade wielder let out another sigh before glancing around the level they were currently on. It seemed mostly the same, though one thing immediately set it apart from those before; a large, crane-like hook that was dangling from an intricate-looking device, held up by a long chain wrapped around a wheel. It looked remarkably similar in appearance to the hooks used to hoist Sharqs that the hunting fleet killed back in Moga. Wes had sometimes put the mechanisms to use, slowing his descents from jumping off rooftops with them. As he scanned the crane, he turned his gaze downwards, noting that there was only another two levels, and the drop was about thirty yards or so...

Still, Wes had already formulated a plan before checking the drop distance. What's the danger in showing off a little, especially if it gets the job done quicker? He immediately started sprinting towards the hook, leaving the other three with confused expressions as he made his way around to the crane.

"Wes, what the hell are you doin', bud?!" Viper called out as he came to a stop by the hook. The chain was about a hundred meters in length, more than enough for the drop, and somehow looked as pristine as the day it was made. He noted a sturdy metal lever device acting as a lock for the chain, and where he'd land once the chain had fully extended. He glanced over to the others, a cocky smirk crossing his lips.

"See you all at the bottom!"

The hunter swiftly kicked the lever, unlocking the chain with a loud metallic clang, before leaping into open air and grabbing the hook, falling down the shaft of the tower rapidly as the wheel let out a fast clanking noise. The chain kept his descent safe, though still quick, and after only a few seconds he landed heavily on an old wooden platform at the bottom of the shaft, the impact being enough to crack the wood below him, though not enough to cause him any real harm. Wes glanced up at the other three hunters, chuckling a little to himself as they raced down the winding steps to reach him.

The blue- and green-eyed hunter leapt down from the high platform onto the ground a few feet below and made his way towards the glowing red gem in the center of the room, the crimson glow it emitted acting as the main light source in the dark chamber. A few of the crystal 'torches' were circling the room, though many didn't seem to be functioning properly, leaving scarcely enough light to see. There were two large, dark alcoves carved into the side of the walls, each reaching up several dozen feet into the air. From one of them, a slight droning noise sounded, rising and falling in intensity. Wes assumed one of them was the exit, while the other had some sort of unseen mechanism that was powering the lights.

After a few more steps, the hunter was upon the pedestal the ruby rested on. Oddly, the pedestal and the altar below it were made from the same blackish stone as the other ruins, instead of the light grey ones prevalent in the tower. Still, he wasn't about to question the rationale of an ancient, long deceased civilization, and picked up the magma ruby without another thought.

"Easy as that!" he laughed, his voice echoing high up into the empty tower. By then, the others had reached him, coming to a stop and racing over to him as he pocketed the gem.

"Dammit, Wes, what part of 'quietly' didn't you get?!" Viper hissed, pulling out his Green Nargacuga bow and looking around anxiously.

"What? You think there's a ghost down here or something?" the dual sword user laughed, taking a step towards the exit. "Lighten up, Joker. We're just about done here."

"No, dumbass, we aren't! Didn't you hear that noise?!"

"You mean the sound of you bitching about not thinking of that first?" Wes snarked, glancing down as he kicked a small object and sent it clattering across the floor. It took him a moment to make out what it was after it rolled to a stop. "Wait, is that an Aptonoth bone? What's that doing in... here..."

A loud stomp to his right drew the hunter's attention to one of the dark alcoves, where a bright orange glow had formed. The other hunters quickly broke for cover as the orb of light shot out from the alcove, followed by a loud, angry roar that echoed throughout the entire tower. He barely managed to throw himself out of the way in time to avoid the projectile, which rocketed past him and into the wall about twenty feet behind where he stood. The ball exploded in a torrent of flames, lighting up the space around where it impacted; the blast had struck a large stone bar that was holding the door shut, actually breaking the barrier into several pieces!

As he pushed himself up, he saw a pair of menacing purple eyes glaring directly at him from the shadows. Another rumbling growl echoed out from the cavern, and a large, silver draconic head slid out from the darkness, followed by a pair of enormous wings, powerful legs, and a long, spiked tail. When it had fully stepped out from the alcove, Wes could tell this was easily a silver crown-sized monster, at the minimum.

_Is that... The Silver Rathalos...? It's huge! I never knew they even got that big! And t__hat blast was enough to break stone! Shit, this isn't going to be easy as I thought… _

The hunter rolled to his feet and drew his dual swords while the other hunters readied themselves for battle. Amethyst took up position about halfway up the ramp, giving her a height advantage with her bowgun, while Viper and Sapphire joined the hunter at either side.

"Now you see what showing off all the time gets you?!" Viper snapped, nocking an arrow and aiming it at the beast. "We were supposed to _not _get them mad! You jumped _right into their nest!" _

"Like I was supposed to know they were living at the bottom of the ancient tower!" the hunter retorted.

"Guys, now is not the time to be arguing! Look out!" Sapphire called out, bringing their attention back to the Silver Rathalos. The hunters immediately split up to avoid another fireball from the creature, which burst into a large flaming patch on contact with the ground. Wes could feel the heat of the flames from almost ten feet away!

Viper retaliated by shooting several arrows at the silver wyvern, many of which found their mark in its head or wings. Still, the rigid bones beneath the hard, shiny scales were more than enough to deflect the projectiles; the Rathalos didn't even seem to notice it had been attacked.

Wes and Sapphire engaged the beast at close range while Viper moved to find a different angle to attack from, and Amethyst began firing a steady stream of bullets from her bowgun into the beast's back. The Silver Rathalos quickly spun about, whipping its spiked lash at them. Wes evaded the attack by sliding beneath the tail, while Sapphire leapt over it with her powerful jumping ability. Both hunters lunged out at the flying wyvern's side with their swords, cutting shallowly into its thick hide with their blades.

The attacks did little more than irritate the massive silver wyvern, which lashed out with its claws at the pair. Sapphire brought her shield up in time to block the majority of the strike, being sent skidding across the floor with a small dent in her shield and a gash cut in her sleeve, but Wes wasn't able to completely evade the attack. One of the beast's sharp claws struck his side, throwing him back almost ten feet to the ground. The hunter found the wind knocked out of him as he landed, though he quickly shook the stars from his eyes and got back up. Once again, the sturdy black leather that covered his torso had resisted the attack, not even being punctured by the talon. Still, it couldn't absorb the force of the blow, leaving the hunter with several sore ribs.

"Keep on distracting it so I can get a clear shot!" Viper shouted, attaching a yellow vial to his bow. The Rathalos turned to face the archer as his voice reached its ears, flames flickering to life in its maw as it did so. Before it could attack the archer, though, Wes called out to it as well.

"Hey, you overgrown excuse for a mirror! Didn't your ma ever tell you it's impolite to turn away from someone you're talking to?!" he taunted, smirking as the beast reared its head towards him angrily. The wyvern launched the large fireball at him instead, though he had more than enough time to react this time, easily sidestepping the blast and charging at the Rathalos as it shook the flames from its mouth. Sapphire approached from the flying wyvern's flank, her short sword sheathed on the back of her belt.

"Wes! Gimme a boost!" the blue-haired huntress shouted.

It only took the hunter a moment to get what she meant, and he quickly returned his blades to his back as he rushed to meet up with the huntress. He managed to slide past the wyvern's head as the flames around its mouth died down, and the wyvern glanced around in confusion, its target having disappeared from sight. The dual sword wielder slid to a stop at the beast's side, clasping his hands together and forming a step for the huntress to use as she neared him. With a short spring, she landed her right foot in his palms.

"Up you go!" he shouted, throwing her upwards as hard as he could. She leapt at the same time as he did so, jumping almost twenty feet into the air with their combined effort.

She flipped once before landing on the Silver Rathalos' back, grasping onto one of the spikes lining its spine with her shield arm as she did so. The beast roared in confusion as the huntress clung to its back and drew her sword, swinging the blue short sword into the beast's scaly back repeatedly. Wes returned to attacking the wyvern's side while the huntress worked on breaking through the scales covering its back. Viper had begun firing several arrows coated with paralytic venom into its other side, while Amethyst was firing pierce shots at one of its wings.

Even the combined attacks of all four hunters seemed to do little more than act as a nuisance, though; with an angered roar, the beast spun about, simultaneously kicking Wes with its leg, throwing Sapphire from its back, and deflecting several of Viper's arrows with its tail. As it finished its sudden twist, the beast launched another fireball, though not at the hunters on ground level; it had realized the threat Amethyst posed on the elevated ramp, and fired the blast at the bowgunner instead! She ducked back to avoid the blast, though the fireball impacted with the bottom of ramp and splintered the old stone. The purple-haired huntress fell almost ten meters downwards, and was only saved from severe injury by the timely, though somewhat unintentional intervention of Viper.

"Of all the places you could've fallen, it had to have been on top of me?!" he coughed as the bowgunner got to her feet unsteadily, pulling the dazed hunter aside from several large pieces of debris that nearly crushed him. A few smaller bits of rock hit his leg, causing him to yelp in pain, though he was able to get back up quickly.

"Sorry…"

Wes and Sapphire landed on the opposite end of the chamber, recovering before the still-closed exit of the spire. The dual blade wielder wiped his face with the back of his hand, feeling a trail of blood at his lip; his impact with the ground had caused a split in the right side of his mouth, from which a small bit of blood was oozing from.

"Dammit, not another one…" he groaned, knowing that the wound would most likely scar. "You alright, Saph?"

"Landed kinda hard on my leg, but I'll be fine," she replied, though he could tell through her tone that it hurt more than she let on.

"There just isn't enough space in here to work with," Wes mumbled, glancing around the chamber.

The debris caused by the destruction of the ramp had cut off a good portion of the room, which could've acted as cover for them to use if they knew the Rathalos couldn't just blast it to bits with its fireballs. Not only that, but the flames from those attacks hadn't fully died down yet, and each projectile the Rathalos launched at them only lit more of the room with flames. They were running out of room to work with, and the only advantage they had was that the Rathalos couldn't fly… At least, it hadn't tried to yet. There was more than enough room for it to take to the air above them, and if it did nothing was keeping it from scorching the rest of the ground.

"We need to get those doors open before he decides to use those wings of his."

"But… even with the seal broken, there's no way we'd be able to push them open ourselves," Sapphire replied. "And even if we could, I don't think we have the time for that!"

"Maybe we don't have to…" the hunter said, backing up towards the wall. "I've got an idea. Go and make sure Viper and Amethyst are still able to fight; we're taking this outside."

The huntress looked as though she wanted to inquire more, but Wes motioned for her to go, which she reluctantly did. The silver wyvern glared at the hunter angrily through the flames coating the ground before it, building up more fire in its maw. Wes' response was to hold his arms out to either side in a taunting manner, taking two small steps forward as he gestured towards himself.

"C'mon, I'm right here! Are you gonna come and get me, or are you just a giant silver chicken?!"

With a furious roar, the flying wyvern charged towards the blue- and green-eyed hunter, still building up a fireball in its maw. The hunter prepared to dodge the attack, knowing he'd have to do so at the last possible moment to ensure his plan would work. The beast surprised him, though; instead of launching the fireball at him, or continuing its grounded charge, the beast pushed off with its legs and extended its wings, gliding a few feet off the ground and rapidly picking up speed. As it did so, the flames from its mouth trailed back along its underbelly and sides, like a giant, flaming silver meteor.

With the Silver Rathalos' sudden increase in speed, the hunter knew it would be much smarter to dodge _now. _He threw himself out of the way as the beast neared, yelping as the flames trailing from its maw singed him, and rolled to a stop. He managed to avoid the brunt of the charge, though he had to pat one of his sleeves furiously to put out a small fire that had lit on his arm.

The Rath, meanwhile, had charged past where he stood and, unable to slow itself down, slammed head first into the large stone doors, actually cracking them wide open with a loud shudder that could be felt through the entire tower. The impact didn't actually slow the wyvern down much, and it took to the skies outside the spire.

"Everyone, move outside! We'll need more space to fight this thing!" Wes shouted, making his way towards the exit.

Viper, Amethyst, and Sapphire followed him out of the tower immediately, noticing that the doors were slowly cranking themselves shut. They appeared to be hooked up to some chain mechanism that pulled them closed if it wasn't released, meaning they only had a sparse amount of time to escape the tower. Viper was the last one out, cussing as he slipped through the crack of the gate and an explosion of fire knocked him to the ground.

"Damn, the Gold Rathian was in there too!" he shouted, quickly pushing himself to his feet. "We'd better hope it doesn't decide to join this fight too… If they can get in there, they have to be able to get out through the top."

"Viper, Amethyst, we should try and put the Rathalos to sleep," Wes said. "If we can knock it out, maybe it'll calm down and we can call the airship in."

"We wouldn't have to if you had paid attention to the objective!" Viper shot at the dual blade wielder, stepping close to him. "Look, I'm all for trying to look awesome on the job and all, but there gets to be a point where it goes too far! We were supposed to be subtle, bud! Now look what you got us wrapped up in!"

"Would it have mattered if we had gone down the whole way quietly and woken them up then?!" he retorted. "What're the chances that we wouldn't have roused them when we got the ruby if we were all down there?!"

"I dunno, maybe we could've _listened to the snoring? _Amethyst just showed that he could hear extremely well, and not once did you think to ask her if she heard anything in there!"

"And you did?!"

"Guys, not now!" Sapphire urged, pushing the two apart. "The Rathalos is coming back around! We can argue about this later!"

The two glanced up, seeing the shining silver wyvern circling back towards them. More flames were alight in its mouth and trailing down its body, and the beast was flying directly at them!

"Shit, split up!" Wes shouted.

The four broke for cover, putting distance between each other so that the Rath wouldn't be able to hit them all in one pass. The silver creature soared over the patch of ground they had stood in moments before, lighting the grass on fire as it did, before turning in midair and bringing itself into a hover. It beat its wings far harder than before as it built up more flames in its maw, launching a large fireball at the ground. As the gust from its wings swept over the fireball, the blaze fanned out into a massive wave of flames. Wes and Sapphire ducked behind a rock as the flames scorched the ground, though the heat of the blast could still be felt around them. He couldn't see where Viper and Amethyst had taken cover, though Wes hoped they had managed to evade the attack.

"That… I've never seen any Rathalos do that before…" the blue-haired huntress gasped, sitting with her back against the rock as she caught her breath, clutching her still bleeding arm. "How are we supposed to bring this thing down…? None of our attacks are doing anything, and it's able to pull off attacks like that…"

"We'll have to think of something on the run," Wes replied, peering over the top of the rock. He saw Viper hidden behind a tree outside of the blast radius, while Amethyst had made her way to the stone steps circling the outside of the spire. He breathed a short sigh of relief at seeing the others unharmed, though he turned his attention to their primary threat as it landed in the center of the charred field. "Alright, Viper's in a good position to attack its wings, and Amethyst can start firing on its back. Let's see if we can't trip it up by attacking the legs, eh?"

"S-sure, just gimme a sec," the huntress replied, trying to push herself up. She yelped quietly in pain as she put weight on her leg, though, dropping to the ground again. "Oww…"

"You okay?" Wes asked, dropping down next to her and handing her a potion. "If you got hit, this should help."

"No, it's my leg… I think I sprained it back in the tower…"

"Damn, that'll need more than a potion…" he mumbled, setting the jar down beside her. "I don't have a splint or anything on me either. Look, just hang back here, alright? I'm sure the others and I can handle this thing just fine."

"N-no! I've got to help you guys! I'll be alright, just give me a minute…"

"Saph, there's no need for you to get killed because you were being stubborn. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. I've got this," he said, pushing himself to his feet and drawing his hood over his head.

"Wes… Just don't get killed, would you?"

"I don't plan on dying today."

The dual sword user vaulted over the rock and charged at the wyvern, drawing his blades as he did so. Seeing him break from cover, Viper nocked an arrow and fired it at the wyvern, piercing its side with the projectile. Amethyst began opening fire on the creature's back with pierce rounds from her perch on the ramp, crouching low and using a scope she had pulled from the top of the bowgun to help make accurate shots despite her distance. The Rathalos whipped its tail around at the dual sword wielder as he approached, but he vaulted over the spiked appendage just in time to avoid the blow. He rolled to a stop and activated Demon Mode, feeling the red aura the technique summoned form around him.

As fast as he could, he swung both swords into the Rathalos' side, cleaving some of its hard scales and cutting into its hide, deeper than he had been able to before. With a short growl, the wyvern lashed out at him with its leg, though Wes was able to sidestep the attack at the last moment, feeling one of the talons tear a small hole in the sleeve of his armor where the black leather didn't cover.

Viper and Amethyst were keeping up a steady stream of projectiles on the flying wyvern, with the archer landing several precise shots in the creature's hide and breaking off some of its scales with others. Amethyst had been cracking off silver shards from the beast's back as well, and was slowly managing to land hits into the cracks Sapphire's initial attack had caused.

Wes continued to keep up the pressure on the Silver Rathalos, though, knowing that if he put himself front and center it would be more likely to focus on him. He landed several swings on its underbelly and rolled away as it attempted to stomp on him, coming to a stop by its neck. He tightened his focus on the creature, bringing his own perception of time to a crawl. He quickly leveled his blades his sides and took to slashing at the hard scales lining the Rathalos' neck. Despite their toughness, the hunter was able to cleave through a large chunk of them, swinging his blades a full seven times into its neck and shattering the silver scales before twisting around and driving his leg into the opening his blades had cut, further breaking the scales and pushing himself back away from the flying wyvern.

He grunted slightly as he landed, feeling a wave of fatigue roll over him as the effects of the dash juice wore off from his use of Demon Mode. He shook his head to try and reorient himself, but just as he recovered, he saw a blur of movement off to his right. He barely managed to twist away before the Rath's spiked tail slammed into him, sending him flying across the field with pained yelp. He hit the ground rolling, only coming to a stop when he struck a tree not far from Viper. His armor had protected him from being wounded badly, but he felt a deal of pain coming from below his left shoulder; his armor didn't cover that spot, and one of the shorter tail spikes must have punched through both the Barioth pelts and the Rathalos scale suit he wore beneath, leaving a coin-sized hole in his back.

Viper quickly rushed over to the hunter and pulled him out of the way as the Silver Rathalos launched a fireball at the injured dual sword user. He cursed as the blast from the projectile sent a wave of heat over both of them and caused the archer to stumble, dropping the dual sword wielder but also rousing him. Wes quickly pushed himself back up, flinching as a spike of pain shot out from his back, before ducking behind a boulder next to the golden-eyed man.

"Damn, I really made him mad," Wes huffed, pulling out a potion and downing the contents to heal himself. "Any luck getting through with your arrows?"

"Barely; it's like shooting a foot-thick wall of steel," Viper replied, nocking a few more arrows. "I'm almost out of paralysis coatings too. It's scales are too thick to puncture, and not enough of the venom got into it."

"I'll see if I can't hit it with some throwing knives coated with Bindshroom extract. You alright so far?"

"Holding up, but I'd have _preferred _if we weren't in this mess to begin with..."

"Okay, fine, you're right. Let me have it _after _we get out of this mess."

"Trust me, I plan on it. Amethyst has a good position right now up on the stairs, but I need to make sure the last paralysis coating doesn't go to waste. Flank around that side, get its attention on you, and I'll move in and hit it from the other side."

"Sounds like a plan."

Wes took a moment to catch his breath before running from cover, yelping as a fireball immediately flew over his head. The Rath launched several more after the dual sword user, each one exploding behind him as he rushed to outrun the projectiles. He ducked and rolled behind another boulder just before the last fireball stuck the hard stone, blasting off a good chunk of the rock and causing a number of small, smoking bits of shrapnel to rain down on the hunter.

_Dammit, that was too close! _he thought, peering over the top of the seared stone.

Viper had rushed at the creature while it had its attention focused on Wes, drawing the string back as far as he could as he closed the distance between himself and the Silver Rathalos. The beast must've sensed him approach, however, because it quickly whipped its tail around at the archer just as he neared it. Wes thought Viper would dodge the attack, but the archer didn't even seem to notice it approach him. He launched a row of arrows into the space beneath the monster's wing, with almost all of the arrows digging into the silver behemoth's hide.

This didn't stop the creature's attack, though, and its tail slammed into Viper's side, launching him several feet back with a surprised yelp. He landed hard on his back, his bow falling from his grip. Before he could push himself up, though, the beast was on him, leaping through the air and landing on him, pinning him beneath its feet. The archer let out an anguished scream as the Rath's talon tore through his right shoulder and its weight pressed down on him, his armor being the only thing keeping him from being crushed to death.

Almost the second Viper had gotten hit, Wes rushed over the boulder, activating his Demon Mode again. Something came over him as he saw Viper get pinned beneath the silver behemoth's talons, the archer's pained shout still echoing in his mind. It was _his _fault that that had happened! Try as he might to deny it, Wes knew that he was completely in the wrong, and now his friends' lives were in grave danger. He _had _to get them out of this. He owed them that much, since he was the one who got them into it. He wanted above all else to see them all escape this encounter with their lives, even if he had to risk his in the process to save theirs.

As the aura of Demon Mode built up around Wes, he realized that this dance wasn't like any he had done before. Normally, he felt angry, or extremely confident, and that feeling transferred into a reddish aura. Now, though, he felt like he was focusing more on the desire to protect his friends, and that filled him with even greater strength. The powerful aura flared to life around him in a flash of white, and he found himself racing towards the Rath at a speed he had never imagined himself capable of.

The Rathalos reared its head as it glared down at the golden-eyed archer, who was struggling against it fruitlessly with his one good arm. Before it could bring its jaws down on him for the kill, though, Wes was upon it, swinging both swords at its legs with more force than he realized. The blades sliced clean through the silver behemoth's hard scales and thick hide, and with a roar of pain it pushed off from the downed hunter, glaring at him furiously. Wes had already moved to get Viper out, though, scooping the hunter up over his shoulder after sheathing his swords and rushing back to the boulder Sapphire was hidden behind. As he did so, he threw a smoke bomb onto the ground, covering his retreat with a thick cloud of white fog.

"How bad is it?" Wes asked, setting his friend down beside Sapphire and checking over the injury he had sustained. The hole in his shoulder was deep and wide, and blood flowed from the wound profusely.

"Gah… I can barely even feel my arm, but my shoulder hurts like hell… Probably poisoned too, might have a few burns and bruises... I'm definitely gonna feel this in the morning…"

"Wes, I can help take care of him," Sapphire said urgently, drawing his attention. "You've gotta get back out there and help Ammy!"

"You're right... Don't need her getting downed too," Wes mumbled, pushing himself back up.

"Wait, Wes, take this!" the short sword wielder tossed a small object towards him, which he instinctively caught and inspected.

"What is this? A flash bomb?"

"Yeah, it's one the science team put together! Apparently the head of the development team has a friend who can make some really strong ones, and he decided to share the schematics, so that's one they made! It's supposed to be extremely powerful, so make sure you look away before it goes off!"

"Noted. Alright, round three," he said, rushing back out into the fray. Upon making his way to the clearing, he saw that in his absence, the Rathalos had begun attacking Amethyst, taking to the air and launching fireballs at the huntress. She had managed to evade the projectiles well enough, but she didn't seem to be returning fire; either she was out of ammo, or she couldn't fire as easily with the scope on her gun pulled up.

Wes ran towards the wyvern and drew his swords, rapidly closing the distance between himself and the Rathalos. The white aura had died down while he was helping Viper back to behind the rock, though it flared back to life upon him seeing Amethyst in danger. With a short bound, Wes kicked himself up onto the side of the staircase and pushed off with his legs, twisting about in midair and slashing the wyvern across the chest with his dual blades. The attack completely caught the silver menace off guard, and it fell to the earth as the blow staggered it mid-flight. Wes kicked off its chest just before it fell, launching himself back and landing beside the purple-haired huntress on the stairs deftly, leveling his swords at the downed wyvern.

"Nice entrance…" she murmured, pushing the scope of her bowgun back into the body of the contraption with a subtle _click_. "What's with the white glow…?"

"I... really don't know. Are you injured?"

"No, not badly… What about the others?"

"They won't be rejoining this fight, that's for sure."

"So… it's just you and me then?"

"Looks like it."

"Would this… Count as a date…?"

"W- No!"

"Okay, sorry…"

The pair's conversation was cut short as the Rathalos pushed itself back up to its feet, glowering menacingly at the hunters with its rage-filled eyes. More flames began to build up in its maw, and realizing it was about to launch a fireball at them, Wes grabbed Amethyst by the arm and rushed down the steps, flinching as he heard the blast strike the stairs behind him and felt the wave of heat roll over him. The pair made it to the bottom of the stairs after only a moment, though they were forced to confront the Rathalos yet again as it flew past them and circled back, building up more flames in its mouth.

Amethyst swiftly loaded a number of explosive rounds into her bowgun and turned her aim upwards, launching a large bullet at the fast-approaching wyvern. The shot impacted with the beast's head, and after a second, detonated in a large explosion around the Silver Rathalos' face. She followed up with another two shots, and the third explosion managed to knock the beast off course, and with a startled roar, the flame-encased creature crashed into the earth, knocking up dirt in all directions as it carved a trail into the ground and splinted a pair of trees about halfway through their trunks.

"Think that got it?" she asked lazily, relaxing her stance as the beast came to a rest at the end of its crash landing. It didn't move for a few moments, putting Wes on edge. They had dealt much more damage to it after pulling it outside, but were those explosions really enough to finish it off…?

Before the hunter could reply, though, the Silver Rathalos suddenly whipped its head around, flames already alight in its mouth! A small fireball erupted from its maw and sailed through the air towards them, and despite Wes' increase in speed, he hadn't had enough time to react, and the blast impacted between the pair, sending both hunters flying across the field. Wes landed hard on his back, though he quickly rolled over backwards and got back to his feet; the blast hadn't done more than knock him back, though it had struck closer to Amethyst than him…

He cursed under his breath as he saw the huntress lying on the ground about ten feet to his left, her right arm smoking slightly. The thick Arzuros plating that covered the arm had completely broken away, and her side was badly burned as well. He glanced over at the wyvern to assess whether it would be safe to help her or not. The Rathalos had turned its attention away from them to try a push itself back up, a task it seemed to be having some difficulty with on account of its injuries.

The dual blade wielder quickly ran over to the downed bowgunner, sheathing his swords as he did. He wrapped an arm around her waist and hoisted her up over his shoulder, supporting her with his other open hand to avoid dropping her, and began to make his way back towards the rock the other hunters were hidden behind.

"Ow… Careful…" she moaned, her eyes glazed over slightly from the pain.

"Sorry, I'll get you over to the others in a second," Wes replied, picking up the pace a little and glancing back. The Rathalos was still on the other end of the field, struggling to recover, but it had almost gotten back to its feet. The crash had definitely injured it, not enough to keep it down, but enough to slow it down immensely.

"Ugh… Y'know, this is the first time a guy's put his hand down there…"

"Wait, wha-?! Whoa, whoa, this isn't-! Good lord, you can even make a situation like this awkward?!"

"Just saying…"

Despite his slightly flustered mindset, the hunter managed to make his way back behind the boulder and set the bowgunner beside Viper, who groaned upon seeing them reappear.

"Dammit, and there goes another one…"

"Alright, it's almost done now," Wes said, crouching beside them. "Sapphire, call the airship in. I'm going to cover us with that flash bomb."

"Are you nuts?! That Rath'll blast it out of the sky before it can get close!" Viper argued, flinching again in pain.

"What other option do I have?! Sapphire's got a sprained ankle, your arm and leg are broken, and Amethyst's side is burnt to a crisp! None of you are in walking condition! You expect me to kill this thing and carry all three of you back to camp on my own?!"

"…Bah, fine… If this doesn't work, and for some reason you survive this and we all get killed, I am going to haunt you until the day you die."

"I'm gonna get you guys out of this, I promise. Send the flare up, and I'll handle our friend."

"Be careful…" Sapphire said worriedly, watching him as he rounded the corner a third time and rushed out to meet the Rathalos again. Wes didn't spare a glance back as the bright red flare launched skyward from behind the boulder, drawing his swords as he walked towards the center of the field.

The Silver Rathalos was standing in the charred field, eyeing him furiously with those large, piercing eyes of its as it ran its talons across the ground, tearing up dirt and stone easily. The hunter didn't flinch or show any signs of fear; it was just him and the wyvern now. And he would make sure his friends made it out alive.

_I've got to hold it off for just a few minutes… I don't have to kill it, I just have to make sure it's injured enough that it'll leave us be. I don't have any back up, but I know the others are counting on me… I can do this._

"Alright. Let's dance."

The hunter charged at the Rath as it launched another fireball at him, which he dodged around with the superior agility the white aura provided him. He leapt upwards through the air and flipped once, bringing both of his swords down on the creature's head. He only managed to cut into the beast's hide shallowly, though it was enough to cause it to flinch. Wes followed up with a number of other slashes before dodging away from the beast's flaming maw, the licks of fire singing him slightly.

He attempted to attack the wyvern's leg after recovering, but the Silver Rathalos evaded the attempt with a powerful flap of its winds, kicking up loose dirt with a large gust of wind as it pushed off into the air. The hunter brought his arm up quickly to shield his eyes, throwing himself out of the way as the Rathalos lunged at him with its venomous talons. He rolled to a stop and sheathed one of his blades, pulling a throwing knife out and flinging it at the airborne monster with a quick spin. The dagger stuck itself in the beast's abdomen, not causing it much harm due to the size of the projectile, but still drawing a small amount of blood.

With a short roar, the wyvern flew higher up into the air, far out of reach from the hunter's blades, and began launching fireballs at him from its vantage point in the sky. Wes sheathed his other sword and ran to avoid the projectiles, reaching into his pouch and pulling out several more throwing knives, this time ones coated in Bindshroom extract. He waited for the Rath to finish launching fireballs at him before sliding to a stop and flinging the knives at the wyvern one at a time. The Rathalos swerved to avoid the thrown weapons, but a pair managed to find their marks in the creature's wing, and with a startled growl the silver monster found itself careening downwards with the appendage paralyzed.

Wes darted away before the Rath slammed into the ground, roaring in agony as the fall cracked some of the bones within its body. The creature struggled on the ground as it tried to force itself back up, though the paralytic venom in its system served to make the attempt a futile one.

_Come on, the pilot should have seen the flare! Where is he?!_ Wes thought, panting slightly in exhaustion. _I can't keep this up for much longer... I've only got a few knives left, and if it flies up there again I'm done for..._

The hunter spared a glance back, noticing a low humming noise over the mountain; the airship was almost there! It would only take it a few seconds to land by them at that speed, and the Rathalos didn't look to be in fighting shape any longer… Until it reared its head around and launched a fireball skyward. The projectile almost struck the airship, but it veered out of the way at the last minute, almost giving Wes a heart attack. The Rath tried to launch another one, but the venom finally reached its head, stunning it completely.

The blue- and green-eyed hunter slowly back away from the creature, pulling the flash bomb Sapphire had given him out of his pouch. The beast was still on the ground, but he had to make sure it was blinded before getting the others onto the airship to make sure it didn't blow them out of the sky. After a few moments, he heard the airship touch down behind the boulder, and he quickly pulled the pin out of the bomb and tossed it at the wyvern's head, turning around, shutting his eyes tight, and bringing his arms up to his face to shield himself from the resulting flash.

It might as well have been like the sun itself exploded behind him as the device went off. Despite all the precautions he had taken, the hunter still found himself partially blinded by the bomb, saved only by the fact that his hood had been able to block out more of the light than his arms and eyelids could. Wes shook his head a few times, blinking rapidly as he tried to regain his sight.

_Dammit, that bomb was strong! If that had detonated in front of you without some kind of shield, you wouldn't even have eyes! Whoever made something like that must've been insane! I almost feel bad for that Rath now…_

The hunter managed to regain his sight after a few moments, and hearing the blinded beast behind him, he rushed back to the others, knowing they were in the clear now. The airship pilot had disembarked already, and had helped Amethyst back to the cabin already.

"Damn, you guys really don't know how to be subtle, do you?" he sighed, grabbing Viper's good arm and helping the now-unconscious archer limp over to the airship. "Help me get the last one on board; we've gotta fly fast if we're gonna get out of here."

"On it," Wes replied, kneeling down and giving Sapphire a hand up. The short sword wielder was probably the least injured out of the group, though her leg wound had been more than enough to keep her out of the fight; she wasn't even able to put weight on it. Instead of forcing her to hobble along beside him, though, Wes offered to carry her the rest of the way, which she accepted with a rather noticeable blush.

"So… think we're in the clear now?" she asked, holding onto his back while his arms supported her legs.

"Probably, but we'd better not take any chances. Hopefully we'll get back in time to warn the others that the Raths are angry, and they can send a group or two out to finish them off…"

"You didn't finish the Silver Rathalos off after all then?"

"There... there was no need. You guys came first. It may live to fight another day, but I'm not going to risk your lives like that again. I screwed up back there, big time. Guess showing off isn't always the way to go…"

The huntress remained quiet for the rest of the short walk back to the cabin, and Wes set her down on the chair opposite Viper before taking a seat himself, breathing a sigh of relief as the ship began to take to the skies.

"…Y'know, you've changed a lot, Wes," Sapphire giggled, drawing his attention back to her. "When I met you a year ago, I doubt you would have said anything like that unless you were paid to do it. Now… Well, I think you're starting to see a bigger picture."

"Really? And what would that be?"

"I think that's something for you to find out yourself," she said, earning a curious look from the hunter. She didn't elaborate any further, instead sticking her tongue out teasingly at him, earning a short chuckle from him.

"I don't think I'm ever going to understand women…" he mumbled, shaking his head and smirking. "Oh, and by the way, don't expect piggybacks all the time; that was a one-time thing," the dual blade wielder snarked, earning a short giggle from the huntress.

"Aww, not even when we get to Loc Lac? I need a hand off the ship, after all!"

"We'll see about tha-"

A short, piercing roar cut the hunter's sentence off, causing the pair to glance at each other quickly with worried expressions.

"Was that…"

"…the Silver Rathalos…?"

"It sounded kinda…"

"…close…"

Without any warning, the wall to Wes' side was smashed in by a large, powerful claw! The wood and metal paneling on the outside of the ship was no match for the beast's sharp talons, and it easily tore a large hole in the side of the cabin. Wes yelped as the wall behind him was torn away as well, almost dropping him into free fall. He caught hold of the remains of the wall, desperately holding on to the outside of the airship as it bucked and swayed from the impact.

"Wes! Hold on!" Sapphire called, reaching around the side of the ship and extending her hand towards him. "Grab on! I'll pull you in!"

The first thought to run through the hunter's mind was _grab onto her hand now. _Before he followed through, though, he realized that even if he did get back in the ship, nothing was stopping the Rathalos from knocking the ship out of the sky and sending those within plummeting to the ground. Sapphire might be able to get a parachute, but Viper and Amethyst were both unconscious. They wouldn't stand a chance of surviving this fall; they were almost two miles in the air!

Wes reached back into his pouch and pulled the magma ruby out, placing it firmly in the huntress' hand. She glanced at it confusedly before looking back at him, a shocked expression on her face.

"Finish the job for me, would ya?"

The plank Wes was holding onto broke away then, sending the dual sword user into open air! The rushing wind pulled his hood back as he fell to the earth, rushing past his ears and filling them with a constant _whoosh_. The hunter quickly righted himself, extending his hands and legs out to slow his descent, before glancing around to find the flying wyvern. It was making another pass at the airship, but Wes wasn't about to let it attack the others again. He brought both of his hands to his lips and let out a piercing whistle, one that could be heard for miles on a clear night like this. The flying wyvern turned towards the hunter as he plummeted to the earth, and upon recognizing him, its furious glare returned.

"Ain'tcha gonna finish me off, you shiny bastard! Come on, this is your territory! Let's see who the real King of the Skies is!" Wes shouted. The taunt hit home, and with a furious, challenging roar the beast rushed towards him, folding its wings in at its sides as it picked up speed. Wes spun himself about in the air, managing to shift himself sideways and avoid the creature as it flew past him.

_Alright, now it's mad… Gonna have to use my tools to keep it on me now; my swords won't be effective in free fall… _

The hunter reached into his pouch and pulled out a number of throwing knives coated in toadstool extract, waiting for the wyvern to make another pass at him. It circled around quickly and rushed at him again, more slowly this time, with its wings extended. Wes tucked his arms in close in response, picking up speed as he angled himself downwards. He righted himself again as the creature flew above him, flinging the knives into its underbelly as he did so. Three of them found their mark, fortunately; he was never good at multi-knife throws, and he hadn't exactly done so while falling hundreds of yards to the ground before.

The silver monster roared in pain as the venom slipped into its systems, though it didn't seem like the beast was intent on giving up on attacking, circling around again to charge at the hunter. He saw its maw flicker as flames built up in its throat, and the flames soon trailed out to its sides, engulfing its entire underside in flames yet again. This time, though, the Rathalos tucked its wings in and began to spiral towards him, the flames encircling the entirety of the beast's body! It was flying at him, faster than ever, like a giant, flaming drill!

Wes cursed loudly as he attempted to throw himself out of the way, but to no avail. Despite evading the creature's main body, he wasn't able to dodge one of its wing spikes, or the flames engulfing its body. He barely brought his arms up before his head in time before the spike slammed into his torso and the flames rushed past him, causing him to yell in agony as he was violently thrown through the air, several parts of his armor smoking as the flames that had briefly lit the material were smothered by the rush of wind.

Somehow, Wes managed to cling to consciousness. Everything hurt: his arms, his legs, his chest, his head, it didn't matter where. It hurt more than anything had in his entire life, yet he still forced himself to stay conscious, despite the burns, despite the cuts, despite the broken bones. He wouldn't give up until that Rathalos was _dead._

Still in something of a daze, the hunter reached into his pack and pulled his rope dart free, grasping the weapon with both hands. The Rathalos was flying beside him now, eyeing him angrily as more flames began to build up in its jaws. With as much effort as he could muster, Wes through the dart at the silver monster, succeeding in wrapping the metal-tipped dart around its tail and pulling it taut. The beast roared in surprise that he was still able to fight and attempted to bat him away with its wing, but he managed to right himself and slow his fall, evading the attack. He quickly tied the other end of the rope around his belt and took to pulling himself along the length of the cord, grimacing as the Rathalos leveled out and began flying upwards in an attempt to shake him off.

Even then, he didn't give up. His arms screamed at him to just let go, but he forced himself to pull himself up the rope dart, slowly making his way to its tail. He grabbed hold of one of its spikes and pulled himself onto the lash, using some of the sharp protrusions as footholds. He meticulously climbed up the creature's back, though he found himself running out of spikes to use, many of which had been broken off during Amethyst's attack on its back. Fortunately, the huntress had also shot deep holes into the scales lining its back as well, which the blue- and green-eyed hunter used instead as he continued to crawl along the monster's back.

The beast dipped downwards in another attempt to shake him off, and the hunter barely managed to hold on with one hand as his abdomen smashed into the Silver Rathalos' back. The impact had almost caused him to black out, but he still forced himself onwards, using both the bowgun craters Amethyst had left and the arrows Viper had lodged into the silver monster's hide as grips.

Eventually, he found himself at the same spot Sapphire had landed when he had boosted her up onto its back in the spire. A large plate had been broken from her assault, revealing a sizeable patch of skin beneath, located directly above the beast's spine and acting as a major weakpoint. The hunter drew one of his swords, using his other arm and his legs to latch onto the silver monster's back. He aimed the tip at the Rath's back, with one intent flowing through his mind.

"This is for spraining Sapphire's ankle!" he shouted, driving the blade deep into the monster's back. The Rath roared in agony as the sharp metal blade pierced through its skin, making another attempt to throw the hunter off, and again, finding the attempt failing.

"This is for breaking Viper's arm!" Wes pulled the blade free and drove it in again, causing even more blood to gush out of the wound and the beast to roar again.

"This is for burning Amethyst!" Again, the hunter yanked his blade free and drove it into the creature's spine a third time. It let out a pained whine and tried to throw him off again in a much weaker attempt than before.

"And this… is for _fucking with my friends_!" Wes shouted, drawing his other blade and flipping the swords over into a reverse grip, making to plunge both into the Silver Rathalos' spine. The tips of both blades neared the bleeding wound, glimmering slightly in the moonlight as they closed in for the kill...

But before they reach, there was another roar in the skies, one even more powerful than the Silver Rathalos'! The hunter barely spared a glance up before a giant golden mass flew past, one of its claws reaching out and grabbing him, cutting the rope tied to his waist and pulling him off with a surprised, pained yelp. The talon managed to , fortunately, so he wasn't still attached to the Rathalos, though there were bigger issues now.

It was the Gold Rathian! It had emerged from the nest! And not only that, it was even _bigger _than the Rathalos! It let out another resounding roar as it threw the hunter into the air once again, leaving the heavily injured hunter in free fall.

He was done for. The Silver Rathalos was still alive, albeit heavily wounded, and now its mate was there too, proving to be an even larger threat than the silver behemoth had. Wes was defenseless, his swords having been thrown from his grasp in midair, and all it would take was one more hit from either of the flying wyverns to end him.

But they never charged at him. The Gold Rathian instead roared at its mate, as if telling it to do something. The beast responded with a low growl, slowly flying away towards the tower, accompanied by the Rathian. They were retreating! The golden beast was ensuring its mate could return to the nest safely! Wes was safe after all!

Or not, as he realized a moment later. While the Raths were gone, he was still hundreds of feet in the air, wounded heavily, barely conscious, and with no way to slow his descent. He knew that if he didn't do something now, he'd end up as a bloody paste on the ground at best. He glanced around frantically, looking for something, _anything _he could use to save himself. His eyes happened upon a falling object about ten feet to his left.

It was a chunk of the airship's wall! Through some divine stroke of good luck, it hadn't hit the ground yet, and it wasn't far from his grasp. Not only that, it still looked like a parachute was attached to it! Not needing more incentive than that, Wes angled himself towards the debris, reaching out with his hand towards it desperately. He grabbed hold of the wooden object with his free hand, grasping the parachute with the other and pulling the pack free before frantically sliding his arms through the straps and pulling the string. The large cloth sail erupted from the back of the pack, slowing his descent down immensely.

The Raths had reached the top of the tower by then, and after the silver behemoth gave the hunter one last, furious glare, it descended through the hole in the peak of the spire, disappearing from sight. The Gold Rathian followed soon after, leaving the area surprisingly quiet. Wes breathed a sigh of relief as he descended to the ground safely, his vision growing hazy. He barely registered touching down on the ground, though he managed to pull the chute off of his back somehow. He struggled to his feet, taking a wobbly step towards the mountains. He had to get to base camp… To safety…

He couldn't make it more than a few steps, though, and the blue- and green-eyed hunter soon crumpled to the ground, his consciousness slipping away. The last thing he saw before blacking out was the airship landing not far from him, and a blurry figure rushing out to him.

_T... They came back...? Why...? Why would they..._

* * *

**_Author Notes: Please review! Well, how was that for action? I was planning the air portion of the Silver Rathalos fight since... before I even finished writing Chapter 1, even. I actually have several scenes planned out for The Master Corps already, even though several of them aren't close to being put down on paper. Hell, even then the fight went through a lot of changes from its initial draft, and that was before gecko did his edits for it. Most of my inspiration for the sky battle stemmed from Red vs. Blue Season 9, though that was mostly just because I like the idea of being able to have a fight in midair while plummeting miles to the ground, and NOT having every participant die in the end. That being said, getting beaten to hell and back is perfectly A-O.K. As for the musical inspiration for this fight scene, this one is attributed to Nightmare by Avenged Sevenfold (not a real surprise considering the chapter title, but still)._**

**_Now, in terms of plot stuff I did this chapter, I jostled with the idea of giving Wes the White Demon Dance from THO for a while now, but given the criteria that technique required this was the closest 'shock value' I could get for him. In a sense, this chapter was the event that changes Wes' perspective on everything. Course, it was about as harsh a lesson he could get, all things considered; didn't think Wes was going to be the "I can do everything alone" type for long, didja?_**

**_I'm rapidly discovering that one of my favorite parts about writing fight scenes with Wes in them is his taunts. As I elaborated on a few chapters ago, every character has 'skills' they develop instead of them being attached to a suit of armor, with Taunt being one of Wes'. That translates into him basically being able to piss off anything he insults, which is a rather handy ability if done right. Some abilities are a bit of a long shot, while others are artificial. Frost definitely has Critical Draw, at least, considering his sword. I find it fun writing in those 'magical' little abilities here and there, especially before the reveal. That was where Arroyo's fire-toting ability came from in Chapter 9._**

**_And, as a final note, I'd like to make a shout out to an up and coming writer, Connor D. Atwell. I'm certain he'd appreciate it if you all took a look at his story, In Monsters We Hate, so check it out once you all get the chance. Alright, as always, have a good one! Until next time, my faithful readers!_**

**_Playing: _**_MH3U, Devil May Cry HD Collection, Watch Dogs_

**_Watching:_**_RWBY, Red vs. Blue_

**_Listening to:_**_Avenged Sevenfold, Rise Against_

**_Reading:_**_The Lost Civilization: DLC by dashboardgecko, In Monsters We Hate by Connor D. Atwell_


	15. Scars

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated. _**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 15- Scars

"How bad is he?"

"We managed to stabilize him after the team returned, though we don't expect him to regain consciousness for… quite some time. On record, we have eight broken ribs, three puncture wounds on his back, numerous second- and third-degree burns across his body, several lacerations, some possible head trauma, and several fractures in his left arm. In all honesty, I did not believe he would make it after seeing his condition."

"Will… he be able to recover?"

"I believe with time, yes, though I don't expect him to be moving around for several months. These wounds are not a laughing matter, and any further effort to heal him using medicines would only harm his systems more. They are efficient to a degree, yes, but artificial methods have a limit to their effectiveness. Any more attempts to use them would lead to an excessive concentration in his systems, which may end up shutting them down entirely."

Snow sighed wearily, turning away from the doctor and towards the unconscious hunter. It had been about three hours since Wes, Viper, Sapphire, and Amethyst returned from their assignment, and Wes had been undergoing treatment the entire time due to the extent of his injuries. Snow had kept herself awake since arriving, worried sick for the condition of the hunters.

The only one of them who had been conscious upon returning was Sapphire, who had miraculously escaped with only a deep cut on her arm and a sprained ankle. Viper had awoken not long after they'd been brought to the hospital, though he was in far worse shape: the Silver Rathalos they had been fighting had managed to drive one of its talons all the way through his shoulder, severely damaging his arm. Not only that, he had also suffered a broken leg, several first-degree burns, major bruising across his torso, and a few puncture wounds from the beast's tail slamming into him. Amethyst was even worse off, still unconscious from a fireball which had badly burned the left side of her body and caused a small bit of internal damage. She hadn't suffered much else, considering her weapon of choice, though her single injury was more than enough to require the attention of several medics.

It was horrible seeing them like this. Wes in particular was almost completely covered in bandages, leaving only his head and right arm exposed above the sheets. He had a very pained expression on his face as well, and his breathing was ragged; even unconscious, his wounds were seemingly unbearable.

"I would suggest letting him get his rest now," Connor stated, setting the medical file down on the counter. "Worry not, I will be sure to have someone keep an eye on him. It is late, and you look quite exhausted."

"I'm kinda tired, sure, but I think I'd like to see Viper first," Snow replied, stifling a yawn. She had only heard he had awoken when a nurse stepped into Wes' room during her conversation with Connor, and felt that the archer might be able to shed some light on what happened.

"If you so choose, he is right down the hall. Try not to keep him up, though. His arm will require more surgery later to ensure it remains fully functional."

"Alright, I'll just be a couple minutes," the white-haired huntress said, turning towards the door. Before she stepped out, she spared one more concerned glance at Wes, seeing how agonized his expression was.

_I pray you get well soon, Wes… It's a miracle you're still breathing, kiddo…_

Snow stepped out of the room and made her way down the darkened hall towards Viper's room, making sure to keep quiet to avoid disturbing the other wounded hunters within. She quietly stepped into the golden-eyed man's room, smiling sympathetically as he glanced up at her.

"Hey, Viper… How are you feeling?"

"_Fantastic_," he croaked, his voice dry and ragged. "Don't I look _great _right now?"

He had been poisoned along with the rest of his injuries, and the effects were still visible in his paled complexion and constant shaking. His right shoulder was completely wrapped in bandages, though there was a noticeable indent where the hole in his limb was located; the appendage hung limp at his side, hardly moving at all. His left leg was elevated and wrapped in a thick cast, and he had a number of other bound wounds across his chest as well.

"At least you can still crack a joke," Snow said, taking a seat on the chair across from him. "You don't need to lie about it, though; you look awful…"

"Yeah, and I feel about ten times worse. I can barely feel my arm, and everything else hurts like a bitch…"

"But… I heard from Trance that you guys were on a stealth mission. You weren't supposed to fight anything! How did this all happen?"

"You want to know?" Viper asked, wincing as he pushed himself up into a sitting position with his good arm. "I'll tell you _exactly _what happened. Our good buddy Wes decided to throw caution to the wind yet again! Except this time, it ended up getting us all nearly killed by a pair of Raths!"

The huntress was taken aback by the venomous tone in the archer's voice; she'd never seen him this infuriated before! He and Wes argued every now and then, but they were such great friends, and all honesty they seemed more like brothers joking around than anything. Viper had told her a few times before that he was getting tired of Wes trying to play the 'hero' during hunts, but she hadn't really taken it seriously until now. Whatever Wes had done, it had somehow resulted in every one of them being wounded and hospitalized.

"Well… How did it all happen?"

"We had to get into a tower not far from the Misty Peaks hunting grounds to get the magma ruby inside. We made it all the way there without running into too much trouble... but then Wes decided he'd try and act cool by jumping onto a crane hook to fall down the last two levels! It sounded like someone decided to start playing a drum set in there, there was so much noise! Then he _laughs _about getting the ruby, not even noticing the floor was covered in Aptonoth bones, or that the Rath's had been snoring, which Amethyst pointed out about halfway down. But was he paying attention? No, he was thinking 'how can I do something that'll make me look better?' Well, look where it's gotten us all now."

"But… Before Sapphire went in for treatment, she said that he was the one who got you all to safety! And that he faced the Rathalos head on to keep it from going after you all, going so far as to fall off an airship to keep its attention on him!"

"Yeah, _sure_. I'll bet you any money that he was thinking about how much glory he'd get when he came back to Loc Lac as the only one who wasn't beaten to a pulp, boasting about how he brought down the biggest Silver Rathalos in history. If he had wanted to keep us safe, he'd have listened to the damn mission guidelines and not drawn attention to us! He's lucky that we at least got the magma ruby out of there, else I'm sure he'd get kicked out of the Corps for this fuck up."

"Okay, that's a little harsh, don't you think? I mean, sure, his actions put you all in a really bad spot, but to say he didn't care about you guys at all? That doesn't really seem like Wes to me…"

"Does it? Alright then, riddle me this: Wes has been hospitalized exactly twice during his time here, right? Once after the forest ruins exploded, and the other time when the underwater ruin caved in. We visited him and wished him well, right? Yeah, well, how many times have we been hospitalized? I know I've been here three times, not counting this one, and I think you were put in here, what, twice? Frost was sent here almost eight times, and the Gem Sisters have been in here a few times too."

"Where are you going with this…?"

"How many times did Wes visit _us _when we were in here? Not once! He never comes to say 'hey, sorry to hear you got mauled by a wyvern the other day, hope you feel better'! He just goes off and does his own damn thing, ignoring us when we can't watch him try and show off for the hundredth time. I get that sometimes he's unconscious, or on a job, or whatever, but _every single time? _Talk about an ungrateful friend…"

"Well, I…" Snow began, though her voice trailed off as she thought about what Viper had said. He was _right. _Wes never did come to visit them when they were hurt, and there were a few times where he had been the cause of those injuries, albeit unintentionally… Had he been forgetting about them? Did he even consider them friends? Or were they just... an audience?

"Exactly," Viper huffed, lying back down as gently as he could, grimacing as a spike of pain shot through him. "Until that son of a bitch gets a reality check, I don't think he deserves our help… He wants to do everything on his own, then let him. We'll see how far that gets him next time…"

"…Good night, Viper…" Snow slowly got to her feet and went to the door, sighing sadly as she did.

She practically saw Wes as a younger brother. After all that time they'd spent together just talking and laughing at the tavern, after all the advice she gave him about how to deal with women, and after seeming like such an understanding person, was he really just using her as a means to an end? She didn't want to think it was true, but now she couldn't be sure…

Not until he woke up, at least.

* * *

"You _what?!"_

"I already told you, I convinced the pilot to go back for him," Sapphire said, massaging her splint-wrapped ankle. The blue-haired huntress was sitting down on her bed in the medical wing, across from Ruby, who was standing nearby and giving her a look of pure disbelief.

"_Why? _He almost got you all killed! Not only that, you had the ruby, and the airship was damaged! You should have just came straight back here!"

"And left Wes out there to die?! I like him, Ruby, and I'm not going to lose someone else I like because I put the job ahead of them!"

"News flash, Saph: he doesn't get it!" Ruby snapped, gaining an agitated tone. "You've been making it easy for him this entire time, but has he once made a move on you? No, he hasn't. Because he can't get it through that thick skull of his that there are other people in this world besides him!"

"That's not…! He isn't like that, Ruby… You don't know him-"

"I don't know him? He's a show-offy twat with a superiority complex who thinks that trying to make himself look like the hero is the most important part of life! He's like a spoiled brat; you saw how he was gloating about how awesome his parents were when they visited, and they just brought him a bunch of gifts! He probably had such an easy time growing up, getting whatever the hell he wanted and doing anything he wanted to. We worked hard to get to this point, and this dumbass is making a mockery of us!"

"Ruby, it's like you don't understand him at all… Why are you so angry about this?"

"I-I'm not angry about him! I'm angry about you risking your life, as well as Amethyst's life and the entire mission, just for one guy who's hardly worth the effort!"

"Hardly worth the effort? He saved your life back during that cave in at the underwater ruin! If he hadn't pushed you out of the way of that falling boulder, you'd have gotten killed on the spot!"

"That… He was just trying to play hero again. Just like always. If you want to keep chasing after that jackass, then go right ahead, but I swear that if he puts you in danger like that again, he'll be answering to me."

The red-haired huntress turned stormed to the door, still fuming, but stopped just before the exit, turning her head towards the blue-haired huntress. "In either case, I'm just glad you're safe. I'm going to check in on Amethyst, see if she's awake yet. Rest easy, Saph."

"Tell her I said hi if she's awake!" Sapphire called after her as she left the room.

Now that she was alone, the huntress let herself fall back onto her bed exhaustedly. Her leg was feeling better already, though she had hurt it much worse when she had pulled Wes onto the airship. The pilot hadn't been too keen on turning back for him, considering how dangerous the Raths were, but considering how much damage they had done to the Silver Rathalos it had looked like the Gold Rathian had chosen to make sure its mate didn't die over pursuing them.

_I don't get why Ruby's so jealous of him… Ever since she first met him, it's like she's been trying to show him up at every turn and put him down constantly! And she's taken to using those dual swords of hers too… She hadn't picked those up in years! I wish she'd be clearer with the rest of us…_

She tugged slightly at the bandages around her upper arm, wincing a little at the sting of the wound beneath the gauze. The huntress let out a short, sad sigh, feeling rather guilty about being the least injured member of the ill-fated assignment. Maybe if she could have done more, the others wouldn't have been so heavily injured…

_No, no, I did everything I could… I'd have just gotten hurt worse if I had tried to help after my sprain! I did give Wes that flash bomb… And if I hadn't gotten Viper and Amethyst help when Wes brought them back to me, they could've… _

Sapphire let out another sigh, still feeling saddened by it all. A short rap on her door drew her attention, and she sat up slightly to find Snow standing in the frame.

"Oh, hi!" she said excitedly, pushing herself up and putting a smile on. She didn't want the others to see her sad; that was a side no one had to know. "Come on in, Snow!"

"Hey, Saph. You feeling alright?" the white-haired huntress asked, taking a few steps inside. Sapphire could tell she was exhausted; she looked as though she hadn't slept all night. Sapphire was able to pick up that there was something else bothering her though.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Is something on your mind?"

"Well… Just a conversation I had with Viper a few minutes ago. He brought up some good points…"

"What do you mean?"

"Just… Tell me, what do you think of Wes?"

The question caught the blue-haired huntress off guard slightly, and she blushed slightly, but hid it quickly before thinking up an answer.

"I think he's a pretty cool guy. He's a great hunter, for one, but he's also nice when off the job. He's fun to talk with, and he's cute too. Why do you ask?"

"Because I'm not really sure how good of a friend he really is…" the huntress sighed, taking a seat in one of the chairs beside Sapphire's bed.

"What? Why's that?" Sapphire asked, stunned; Snow and Wes were really close, almost like brother and sister! Why was she feeling like that now?

"It's just that he really doesn't seem to care much about us. Viper pointed out that he never really visits us when we're injured, and he's put us into tight spots more than once. I thought he'd learn by now that he should work as a team, not try and steal the spotlight all the time. I just... thought he'd act more like a friend to us during hunts. Guess I was wrong…"

"You… aren't really wrong though…"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Ehm… I'm not really sure if I should say…"

"Saph, you know you can talk to me about these things, right?"

"It's not that I don't _want _to, it's that I promised Wes I wouldn't tell…"

"I see... What if I swear to you that I won't tell anyone? I'm a pretty good secret keeper, after all."

"…Do you absolutely swear not to spill the beans on me? I don't want to make him mad."

"Whatever you say won't leave this room, I promise."

"Well… Alright. Remember a few months back, after the arena fight with Gear Rex?"

"Yeah? What about it?"

"When we were all heading back to HQ, he and I were talking a bit, and he said that he was glad to know that he has friends who have is back, and who knew he had theirs. He didn't really have many friends back in his hometown, so he never really knew how to treat other people. If anything, he shows off because he thinks it'll get people to like and respect him more."

"Did… he really say that?"

"Yeah, and he said that if it hadn't been for you and Viper, he wouldn't have gotten over the incident in the Flooded Forest ruins as well either. And, well, when he was helping me back to the airship he said that he didn't finish the Rath off because we came first, and that he never wanted to put us in situations like that again. I think this was just what he needed, really… If that isn't too mean to say, considering how badly he's doing now…"

"No, I understand you perfectly," Snow said, smiling a little. It seemed she was feeling better about Wes' loyalty, even if she had a few lingering doubts. "I think I'm going to hit the hay now though; it's been a long night. We should talk like this some more, Saph."

"Sure, why not?" she replied excitedly. Snow was something of a role model to her, after all, being a really good short sword user and always looking out for everyone. Frost kind of scared the blue-haired huntress a little, but that was partially because she was a more than a full foot shorter than the masked hunter. "Tell Frost I said hi! Good night, Snow!"

"Night, Saph."

* * *

"So, have you been able to make anything of the most recent addition to our collection, Joshua?"

The spiky-haired scientist spared a quick glance upwards, seeing his stocky, black-haired assistant Parry standing before his desk. Joshua had spent the better part of… well, time didn't really matter to him, but he'd spent a good long while studying the ten glowing rubies on his workspace. Each one pulsated at the same time as the others, like ten hearts beating in unison.

"Unfortunately, many of the rubies' secrets continue to evade me, but I have not given up hope yet, Parry," he replied, returning his sharp green eyes to the gems. "There seems to be a very strong resonance between them though, which has helped us locate the others. Based on my data, it would appear that there are still three we haven't uncovered. Of course, there's the number of false readings we've gotten, such as the one from out in the Tundra, though I believe that was a result of identifying the last known -and most likely- location, as opposed to the gem's location itself. There is still much to learn about them, despite what we do know."

"I see… I did have an interesting theory I'd like to propose to you though," Parry said. "Based on our past experiments with these rubies, we discovered they have the ability to control a living creature's mind, yes?"

"Well, yes, though how that occurs is still unknown. It requires a certain 'touch' to be wielded, but that is all we've discovered."

"And this is where my proposition comes in: would it not be possible, if these artifacts can control a living body, to be able to control one who is already deceased with them as well?"

"Hmm… I do find that intriguing myself, but I feel as though it would not work. There wouldn't be any activity in the brain, or any of the internal organs, for that matter. At best, with use of the prosthetic limbs I devised, you could- in theory- create a puppet of sorts using them. The amount of effort it would require would be great as well…"

"Ah, but see, I have already devised blueprints for such an undertaking!" the man declared, revealing a rolled up piece of print from behind him. "Barkins was the one who used the ruby the first time, correct? If I recall correctly, which I know I do, he used his right hand to activate the ruby. That arm was a prosthetic one he used when his old one got blown off during the Ifrit experiments. What I believe is that if we were to concoct a suit of some sorts- an exoskeleton, if you will- we could use the rubies we have currently to resurrect a fallen person!"

"…My my, how long have you been devising these prints…?" Joshua asked, scanning the designs the man had given him. They were incredibly detailed, depicting a suit similar in appearance to Plesioth armor as a base to where the gems would be implanted to power the device, as well as several notes on the predicted results it would have. Despite the dubious nature of experimenting on the dead, Joshua knew they had a few spare bodies in cold storage, mainly fallen criminals or individuals who the Guild had needed to 'disappear'.

"Ever since the Gear Rex project was completed," Parry replied. "I was hoping to receive the go ahead from you to conduct experiments on this endeavor, since you are the Head of the Science Department. The gems fall under your jurisdiction as well, so it is up to you."

"Hmm… While I in no way endorse the use of the dead for experimentation, this is certainly something that would be beneficial to know. For all we know, these gems could have some potential healing properties as well, perhaps even being able to restore complete life into an individual! I have no objections to your research, but I would ask that at the very least you refrain from desiccating the bodies. They may not have been lawful citizens in life, but they do not deserve disrespect after death."

"But of course, Mr. Joshua. All I would require is two of the rubies, as well as the materials listed there."

"…Some of these are not particularly easy to come by, you know. If that is the case, I will only give you enough materials for two complete prototypes. If one fails or is destroyed, then you will have one last opportunity. Have you decided on a name for this endeavor of yours, my friend?"

"Yes, in fact. It will be called the Zealot Project, as this is one of the greatest questions we as scientists seek to answer: is it truly possible to give life to the dead?"

"Very well, you may proceed with this… Zealot Project. I expect frequent updates on your progress though, and the gems must be returned to the safe at the end of the day, understood?"

"Of course! Thank you very much, Joshua."

The spiky haired scientist watched his assistant excitedly gather up his designs and run off towards his work station, clearly intent on starting immediately. Before Joshua could return to studying the magma rubies though, another one of his scientists hurried over to his desk, a very concerned expression on his face.

"Yes, Gormley? What do you require?"

"Sir, we've just received some rather… unsettling news."

"…Tell me."

* * *

Balestra gazed out upon the moonlit city from his large office window, seeing a faint reflection of himself in the darkened glass. The news he had received from Trance about the Misty Peaks team's disaster disturbed him greatly. While they had indeed accomplished the objective, they had also severely endangered at least three towns in the local region by infringing into the Rath's nest. The brown-haired man was standing before his desk now, having given him the news as soon as he had gleaned the details from the hunters who weren't too injured to speak.

"Sir, what do you intend to do?" Trance asked. Corrin had returned to his home several hours before, since there had been a lack of work and Trance offered to cover for him. With the events that occurred during that night, though, Balestra found the man to be the only one who could quickly relay his orders to the Corps members.

"It is important that we put together a response team to counter any actions the Gold Rathian might take on the surrounding villages. The Silver Rathalos is severely wounded from what you have told me, and with their nest's location being compromised it is entirely possible that the pair have moved on to a new, unknown location. It is assured that the Rathian will seek blood, though… I believe we will need heavy fire power in order to deal with this creature."

The man turned and strode over to his desk, rifling through a file and writing a few names on a small piece of paper. He held it out to the officer the second his quill left the parchment.

"Gather these hunters immediately. They should be the best suited to a job of this nature."

"Sir, one of these isn't a Corps member…" the officer stated as he read over the small sheet of paper. "Has the Guild been notified?"

"I will send out a document in the morning. It is important that we take action before more lives are lost to these beasts. I feel Mr. Leovirtus will be more than happy to accompany our hunters on this assignment…"

"Very well. I'll make sure they're notified. Anything else, Sir?"

"Yes, if you see Ms. Ruby or Ms. Emerald, have them report to me as soon as possible."

"Understood. I'll take my leave then." Balestra watched as Trance made his way out the door, shutting it quietly behind him. He returned to the window after a few more moments, silently contemplating the situation of the injured hunters.

_Mr. Wes certainly put them in quite the predicament… Perhaps his personality isn't entirely what the Corps needs. This is not a matter that can escape the Guild's ears, and it may fall to him in the end… This news will spread to the other members rather quickly as well. If he is to remain as an asset to the Master Corps, he will have to prove it… _

After a few minutes, there were a few light raps on the door, and Ruby entered the office after he took his place at the desk and responded, quickly stepping towards his desk after shutting the door and taking her place in front of the fine wooden table.

"You failed to relate the events of the Ivory Lagiacrus hunt to me, Ruby. I know it was a success, though I am not as concerned with that."

"Well, I'm dead tired right now, so I'll make this quick," she replied flatly, resting her palms on the desk. "There's more to them than they let on. Somehow, Frost managed to cut the Lagiacrus in half."

"I recall him doing something similar on his first assignment," the Corps head replied, a slight tone of displeasure in his tone. "If that is all you have to say-"

"I wasn't finished," Ruby sighed. "He cut it in half down the middle, from head to tail, with one swing. Not only that, but that same swing also split the beach behind it and shot out across the sea a pretty good distance. It was like his sword turned into a lightning bolt or something. The sand was even blackened from all the electricity, and somehow storm clouds formed during it all, despite it having been a completely clear day."

"…I trust Ms. Emerald would say the same thing? This isn't some fantasy you've concocted, is it?"

"I never was a very imaginative child, _father."_

"…You are dismissed, Ruby. Go and get your rest; I will have an important assignment for you late tomorrow."

"Never thought I'd hear those words," she replied irately, pushing off of his desk and walking towards the door, shutting it loudly behind her as she departed.

Balestra let out a short sigh as he removed his silver-trimmed, wide-brimmed black hat and rested his forehead in his palm. He was thoroughly exhausted as well, though he wouldn't let that show to any of his subordinates. It was almost entirely because of him that the Master Corps was running so smoothly, yet he had to ensure that internal affairs didn't damage their reputation, and he had to pull together an entire team in a matter of minutes to handle an issue that arose solely because one of the Corps members hadn't followed through on their mission objective.

_Mr. Wes, you had better be prepared to prove why you should remain a part of the Corps when you awaken… I do not have the tolerance for setbacks such as this._

* * *

Trance sighed wearily as he walked down the last flight of stairs into the lobby of the HQ building. He had roused the hunters required for the emergency mission already, and Balestra told him that after one more update from the Science Department he'd be dismissed. He hoped there wouldn't be anything important to report, as the last few hours had been some of the most hectic of his career.

_It's too late for this kind of work, _he thought with a yawn, glancing over at the front desk. The liaison who usually worked there, Sal, had already retired for the night, as had Captain Dustin and Security Chief Lyle. It was almost completely quiet, aside from a few barely-noticeable sounds coming from the floors above as the hunters rushed to get their gear together.

He made his way over to the elevator, intending to take it down to the Science department instead of the stairs, though it had apparently been used to ferry someone to the top floor last, as it took some time to arrive. As he awaited the lift, he heard the front entrance slide open, turning his gaze to see Snow walk into the building.

"Oh, hello there, Trance," she greeted, smiling tiredly at him. He felt his heart skip a beat upon seeing the huntress; she still looked amazing to him, even though she looked half-asleep. "You're still here? I'd have thought you'd have gone home by now."

"Ah, yes, well, Sir Balestra wants me to run one more errand for him, and then I'll be on my way," he replied, tipping his hat as she approached him. "I need to check on the Science Department, make sure none of the eggheads have blown themselves up again."

"Sounds like a tough job," the white-haired huntress smirked. "Are you usually working this late though? It's almost three in the morning."

"Well, not usually, no… The last group's return led to a few… complications I've had to work out with Sir Balestra. How are they, by the way?"

"Wes is still out cold, and they don't think he'll be up in who knows how long," she sighed. "Viper's awake, but he won't be doing any jobs for a while, either; he'll need surgery if he wants to keep his arm. Amethyst is still out from what I heard last, but Sapphire's in better shape. I'm really worried for all of them…"

"I'm sure they'll all be just fine," Trance replied, giving her a confident smile. "If there's one thing I know about you hunters, it's that nothing keeps you down for long. You might as well be made out of iron!"

Snow chuckled a little at the statement, and Trance grinned slightly. He was finally getting somewhere with her!

"It seems like you wanted a job in the Guild instead of a hunting job. Why is that?" she asked.

"Ah, funny you should ask… It came down mostly to the fact that I had to stay in Loc Lac to care for my mother. She's kinda sickly, so I need to be close by to care for her. My younger brother is a hunter, or at least, he's in Moga training to be one."

"Really? I never knew you had a younger sibling, Trance."

"Yeah, his name's Aquila. Great kid. I'm sure you'd like him."

"Are you two close?"

"Pretty close, yeah. I always looked out for him when we were younger, made sure he wasn't picked on, walked him home from school, the like. Actually, we were both going to become hunters, but… well, I decided he deserved it more than me."

"What do you mean 'deserved it more'?"

"Erm… Actually, that was a poor choice of words, now that you point it out…"

"Maybe you just wanted him to have what he worked for?" Snow said, smirking slightly at his confused expression. Trance let out a short laugh in reply.

"That makes more sense. Sorry, sometimes I don't know how to choose my words. But, moving right along, what about you and your brother? Who's the older one between you?"

"Actually, I am. Betcha weren't expecting that, huh?"

He actually hadn't. Frost had always seemed so… well, old compared to her, considering how protective of her he was, as well as his bigger stature. It was almost hard to believe they were twins with such a large difference in their personalities. That, and the fact that no one had even seen Frost's face before…

"Really? Coulda fooled me. I guess Frost just gives off that sort of air…"

"Yeah, a lot of people assume that. It's probably because of his height," the huntress giggled, shaking her head slightly.

"I'm sure that's it," Trance chuckled. She definitely had a good sense of humor. Before they could continue their conversation though, the elevator doors finally opened, and the four hunters Trance had called for disembarked the lift, making their way towards the exit. "Guess that explains why it took so long for the elevator to arrive…"

"Well, I won't hold you any longer; you're probably just as tired as I am," Snow said, yawning tiredly. "Good night, Trance."

"Night, Snow." He watched as the huntress made her way to the staircase and ascended the steps, disappearing from sight. As soon as she was out of view, he lightly pumped his fist at his side, feeling as though he'd made very good progress with the short sword wielder.

_Booyah. Alright, let's get this update over with so I can get some sleep… _

Trance quickly boarded the elevator, hitting the button for the basement floor and making his way down to the science department. The doors opened after a few moments, revealing the familiar chaos within. Trance began to make his way towards Joshua's desk at the back of the chamber after checking in with the guards posted by the door, ducking and dodging around the various contraptions and gizmos the eggheads were testing. One narrowly whizzed by his head, causing him to yelp in surprise, and he quickened his pace, huffing lightly as he exited the maelstrom of experiments.

_Every time I come here, I expect my head to get blown off by one of these crazy bastards…_

He saw Joshua and one of the scientists discussing something at his desk and made his way over to the spiky-haired man, intent on getting whatever news he had. He prayed that there wasn't any, though with his luck, he expected there to at least be some.

"…and you are certain of this? There were other prints?"

"And another monster. We received word that it surfaced near Moga only a few hours ago, and that several hunters were killed in the fight with it. The report ended there, though, so I'm unsure of what that could mean…"

"Perhaps we should inform Sir Balestra of this… Ah, just my luck! Mr. Trance, I apologize for not noticing you sooner! Please, come over here, if you would. We have some urgent news for you to relate to Sir Balestra."

"Something about a monster?" Trance asked, tapping his foot lightly in impatience. _Come on, I've worked almost five hours of overtime today…_

"Yes, it is somewhat… alarming. It would seem that there was more than one type of creature that emerged from the hazard zone…"

* * *

Trance rushed into Balestra's office, holding a large folder filled with papers. The Corps head gave him a rather questioning look, but the officer didn't dwell on it.

"Sir, we have a problem! Gear Rex wasn't the only monster from the hazard zone!"

"What do you mean?"

"One of Joshua's teams sent a message back saying they uncovered tracks different from Rex's outside the zone. At almost the same time, word came from Moga that they were being attacked by an unknown amphibious monster!"

The Corps Head pushed himself up from his desk immediately, pulling a file from his desk as he did so and rifling through it.

"This is certainly an unexpected development… We need to assemble a team as quickly as possible as a precaution. What did the report from Moga say?"

"That a team of local hunters had currently engaged the beast, and that one of them was severely wounded. There hasn't been word back since then. Whatever we're going to do, Sir, I think it would be important to do it fast."

"I realize that, Mr. Trance. With any luck the locals will have weakened the beast somewhat, since our available hunters are rather limited… Go and rouse these four. It is not a perfect team, but it will suffice." Balestra held out a small sheet of paper with a list of names on it, which Trance immediately took.

"Of course, right away!" Trance bowed and swiftly departed the office, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he rushed down the steps to the first of the hunters' rooms.

All his earlier fatigue was gone now, replaced by a driving sense of urgency. Gear Rex had been a truly devastating creature in the arena battle all those months before, leaving Jerome hospitalized for much of that time, and even now the hunter had still-lingering wounds. He hated to think of what a similar creature could do, especially if it had an acid spray like Rex…

And then there was the matter of Aquila. His brother was in Moga! What if he was one of the hunters fighting it? He had talent, but these creatures were in a class of their own! Joshua had confirmed that anything to have emerged from that area may as well be G-Rank material, and Aquila was only registered as a Low Rank hunter… He and the other apprentices wouldn't stand a chance if they fought this thing. But knowing Aquila, he'd want to rush in anyways…

And that was what worried Trance the most. He knocked insistently on the first door and relayed the message to the huntress who answered after a few moments. She grumbled at having been awoken this early, but nonetheless agreed to come along as fast as possible, and Trance quickly made his way to the next room two floors down.

His mind was racing the entire time he descended the steps. How close to the city was this new monster? What was it capable of? How had it completely evaded detection this entire time? And, most importantly, how would they be able to take it down? Sure, Wes and the others had managed to kill Rex after a grueling battle with the mutated behemoth, but it had shown incredible resilience, even surviving eight large barrel bombs that detonated directly below it! And, if what Joshua's team had reported was true, this new one was even _bigger than Rex. _

The officer knocked on the next door just as urgently as the last one. A groggy hunter answered, but after a quick explanation he gave the man a wicked grin and stated he'd be ready in a minute. Trance didn't wait around for him though, rushing down to the next floor and the third name on the list.

The new monster had been amphibious, which meant it could have approached the island from any direction. For all Trance knew, it could have surfaced in Moga Village itself and was wreaking havoc on the inhabitants. Though they had said a _team _of hunters was fighting it, which meant that not everyone in the settlement was involved… Which could be very bad if they were the only ones left, or if the others were hiding out in fear of this new beast.

The third hunter answered Trance's constant knocking, and despite showing her objection to being awoken this early in the morning, relented when she noticed the urgency of his tone and went to ready herself. Trance breathed a sigh of relief as he descended to the last hunter's floor, knowing that the huntress he had just spoken with was not at all keen on being called for in that manner, and would have argued for several minutes on a normal occasion.

There was just one hunter left now. Hopefully he'd be able to get himself ready in a timely manner… The four had to leave immediately if they were to help detain the new creature. The officer wasn't sure how responsive this hunter would be, either… He'd just have to keep knocking until he was answered, since a delay could be disastrous for the inhabitants of Moga. He came to a stop outside the last hunter's door and began knocking immediately.

He heard a few shuffles from within, and the sound of a blade entering its sheath, before the door opened, revealing the tall figure of Frost, fully garbed in his Barioth robes, staring down at the officer through the ferocious helm he wore. Trance was slightly taken aback, but was relieved to see the man prepared already.

"Frost, I'm sorry for calling on you so early, and especially after your last hunt, but it's an extremely important matter. A new monster was sighted in the Moga region, and it could be causing major damage to the area as we speak. We need you to go with the others we've assembled and investigate the threat… And neutralize it if it hasn't been yet."

The masked hunter spared a quick glance sideways, inspecting the door next to his. Trance knew that was Snow's room, and that the huntress had already retired for the night. He also knew for a fact that Frost and Snow had never been called on different assignments before now, and that the hunter was probably worried about her well-being. She did say he was rather over-protective, after all…

With a short grunt, Frost pushed past the officer, shutting his door behind him, and began to make his way down to the bottom floor where the others were waiting. Trance breathed another relieved sigh, feeling that if he hadn't been lucky, chances are Frost wouldn't have gone with him. The brown-haired man made his way to the bottom floor, where the other hunters were waiting, fully garbed in their armors: one in a suit of Sand Barioth armor, the next in an outfit made from a foreign creature- a Kirin, if he recalled-, and the last in a suit of Wroggi gunner armor. Balestra was there as well, addressing the four before they departed.

"…and as Mr. Trance aptly put, this is a matter of the utmost urgency. I apologize for the rudeness of your awakening, but this is a dire time that you are needed for. You will do well to exercise caution, and be prepared for anything. Good day to you, hunters." The four turned and departed at a brisk pace as Balestra turned to face him, his crimson eyes somewhat narrow.

"Mr. Trance, you are to accompany them on this mission and report back to me what they find."

"W-what? Sir, I'm not qualified to leave on hunting assignments!"

"I will handle the legality of the matter. Do not waste more time with this, Mr. Trance, there are innocent lives at stake. Including that of your brother. Hurry along now; hunters are quite impatient, and these four are most likely… displeased with the situation. You wouldn't wish to anger them further, no?"

"Ah… I suppose not…"

"And do not forget to grab an extra parachute. I do not require another casualty today, least of all one caused by unpreparedness."

* * *

_**Author Notes:** Please review! Well, it's another short one this time, unfortunately, though last chapter was a full half longer than my average word count, so I suppose I needed a slight break. Fortunately, these shorter ones give me a chance to work on longer, more in-depth chapters for later dates! Doesn't mean some vital plot points are being missed either; as I'm sure you all noticed, there's a lot of people more than a little unhappy with Wes at this point. Everything else is running quite smoothly in terms of the plot, though; I'm guessing you're all asking quite a few questions right about now, huh? _

_I do have some news that may or may not be unfortunate, depending on your viewpoints. With the start of classes, my writing time has been dramatically reduced, meaning that work is going to be slowing down too. I might end up having to switch to three week releases, depending on if I can finish a future chapter by this weekend or not. So, while releases might (key word, might) be spaced farther apart, they might not be as well. I have a few chapters in stock, at least, so I have a bit of padding to work with._

**_Playing: MH3U, Super Smash Bros.: Project M mod, Mario Kart Double Dash_**

**_Listening to: Avenged Sevenfold, Rise Against, Paramore_**

**_Watching: RWBY Volume 2_**

**_Reading: The Lost Civilization: DLC_**


	16. The Storm

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated. Jango belongs to Hawkman32._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 16- The Storm

York yawned as he gazed down at the four hunters below, scratching his beard as he cracked his neck. It had been… maybe a half hour since his apprentices had finally managed to track down their most recent quarry, and he had climbed his way up onto a rock shelf about forty feet above to get a birds-eye view of the fight unfolding below.

"Ilia, keep shooting at its throat sac!" Aquila shouted after blocking the creature's fanned tail with his Jaggi-material shield and sliding back from the impact.

The bowgunner had Pierce rounds loaded at the moment, though York had noted that the recoil was heavier on her with those shots. That gave her less time to react when the colorful wyvern charged at her, and she had taken more than a few hits as a result. She fired one of the rounds into the beast's chest, causing it to honk in irritation before clicking its wing flints together, creating sparks between them as it leapt towards her. Ilia let out a short yelp as it neared her, being unable to evade, and tried to bring her bowgun up to shoot again.

Fortunately, before the wyvern was upon her, Cass leapt in the way, holding his Buster Sword up in a defensive stance in front of both of them. The beast shot a wad of combustible mucus into the sparks it formed, unleashing a fireball that slammed into the thick metal slab and sent both hunters sliding back a good distance.

"Jango, now'd be a good time to hit the damn thing!" the great sword user called, shaking the shock from the strike out of his arm while Ilia pulled a potion out of her pouch.

"On it!" the fourth hunter replied, a man garbed completely in a Royal Ludroth sponge coat and hefting a switch-axe made from the same beast.

He rushed at the colorful bird from behind, bringing the heavy blade of the weapon down on the wyvern's back with a spray of blood. He wrenched the weapon back and, in the same motion, switched the weapon from axe mode to sword form, swinging it upwards and dealing another heavy blow to the startled creature and knocking it to the ground. Jango brought his weapon to his side, popping the hatch above the handle and thrusting the blade into the downed monster's back, dousing it in a torrent of water element that sprayed from the transforming weapon.

It only took a moment for a massive elemental burst to follow, sending the switch-axe user sliding back as his weapon converted back to axe mode. The colorful beast screeched as a wave of pain washed over it, the attack leaving a large bloodied patch on its back. The beast managed to right itself while the other hunters finished healing themselves, and upon seeing the three reenter the fray, attempted to flee its attackers. The extent of its wounds left the creature barely able to limp away though, and soon the three were upon it again, making short work of the wounded creature.

"That's what I thought, you bloody Qurupeco!" Cassian yelled victoriously, having claimed the finishing blow with his great sword. "That's what ya get for dragging us around the entire damn island for four hours!"

Upon seeing the young hunters defeat their quarry, York rubbed the sleep from his eye before making his way down the cliff face towards them. Recently, he had found himself growing tired waiting for the group to complete the day's assignment; it wasn't that he was disinterested in their progress, but that he did so little during these long stretches of time that he grew bored quickly. That was probably his old hunting instincts getting the better of him, he supposed; it was still hard for Rose to sit still all day too, after all, despite having retired several years beforehand.

It was mostly a lack of challenging beasts available for him to hunt that bugged him. He only really went out during the day with his apprentices, to provide a more suitable challenge for them when lower ranking monsters were roaming the island. Despite how skilled they were proving to be, he knew they still had a lot more to learn before he could send them off to Loc Lac for their exam. He was glad that their newest teammate, Jango, had joined the three, since they could now experience what hunting as a group of four was like. Despite the initial awkwardness the switch axe user displayed upon being introduced to the hunters-in-training, they had welcomed him into the fold with open arms, and he was quick to prove his effectiveness in hunts, helping them take down a Royal Ludroth a few weeks prior.

"Well, Teach? How did we do?" Aquila asked as he finished carving his share of the kill.

"You did a lot better this time around," York replied, leaping down about six feet from the rock he stood on. "You've all been learning to time your dodges better, and Cass, you've been very timely with guarding the others when they can't evade. You might not want to always make a habit out of that, since you could just as easily stagger the target with a well-timed hit from your sword. Aquila, your reaction speed for using your shield is improving as well, but be careful that you don't rely on using it too heavily, since it can't block everything. Ilia, while I saw that your reload speed has been improving, I noted you were having some trouble controlling the recoil of the gun. You'd do well to try and position the gun properly before firing, since you can evade out of it quicker and you'll be more likely to actually hit your target. And Jango, you did a good job switching between weapon forms, but I think you should try and help out a bit more in the front instead of staying completely behind the target the entire time. I understand it helps to surround the monster while attacking it, but it won't be as viable of a tactic later on when your quarries are able to turn faster."

"If you say so," the Ludroth-clad hunter replied, pulling the large yellow hood covering his head back and revealing a full head of curly black hair. His eyes were dark brown, dark enough that they could appear almost black. He was the second tallest of the group, being about an inch shorter than Cass and a few inches taller than Ilia. He wasn't built as solidly as Cassian was, though he was still more than strong enough to swing his large switch axe with ease. "Still, I can't risk getting into really heated parts of fights…"

York nodded at the young man in acknowledgement of his condition; Jango had made it clear the day he arrived that he was afflicted with asthma, an old medical condition that had kept many a prospective hunter out of the job. Fortunately enough, the medical scientists in Loc Lac had developed a way to help manage the condition some years before through use of small L-shaped devices that could help clear up the afflicted person's airways. Personally, he didn't know how they did this, as medicine was never one of his interests, and had only really known what they were since he had spoken to Connor about it several years before. There had been a few points in the previous hunts they had embarked on where Jango would have to stop to use the device, but he was relatively quick on the draw with it, so it didn't take much longer than downing a potion or energy drink would.

"In any case, you all did a fine job. As promised, we won't have any tactics lessons tomorrow; we'll skip right to unarmed training before the next hunt. As for today, we're done."

The hunters-in-training raised their arms and cheered at the news. "Hell yeah!"

York smirked as he led the four through the woods back towards the village, hearing their playful banter unfold behind him. It reminded him a lot of the times he, Rose, Zephyr, and Hugh would return from hunts so long ago, congratulating each other while making snarky remarks and being pleased that they all survived yet another grueling fight.

_Bah, I'm talking like I'll be dead tomorrow, _the older hunter thought, chuckling to himself. _I'm not that old yet._

"Is something funny, Mr. Adler?" Ilia asked, the younger hunters having noticed his quiet laughing. He glanced back at them, seeing them staring back as if expecting him to tell some kind of tale or something, but he shook his head as he turned forward again, his smile having widening a little.

"Nothing, just an old dog remembering his past adventures."

As he looked ahead though, he noticed a rather strange sight on the horizon. It seemed like storm clouds had formed over one of the islands off to the east, though York hadn't seen anything in that direction a few minutes ago. A few moments later, a loud, thunder-like roar echoed across the area, as if a bolt of lightning had fallen from the heavens, silencing the hunters and halting their progress.

"Damn, that was intense…" Aquila muttered. "What could have caused that? It didn't sound natural… Was that a monster?"

"No… whatever caused that is something more," York replied uneasily. The clouds weren't natural, that much he could tell, and he hadn't seen any lightning that could've caused the noise fall from the clouds, meaning something on the ground must have caused it instead. And whatever that… thing was, it was definitely powerful, more so than anything he had seen in many years.

"…Whaddya mean by that, Teach?" Cass asked slowly, clearly unnerved by his rather cryptic response.

Despite York's own growing concern over the dark clouds, he forced himself to laugh it off in an attempt to ease their concerns. "I'm just pulling your legs! You know how the weather changes around here at the turn of a dime; it's probably just another one of those famous Moga Storms, but I've seen worse storms than this in my time. There might be some rain tonight, maybe some lightning, but nothing bad."

"Well, if you say so," Jango said with a shrug. "I'm still not used to this weather anyways… You guys would know better than me, at least."

The other hunters still seemed concerned, but allowed themselves to relax a little upon seeing their mentor's calm expression and hearing their teammate's dismissive statement. The group started towards the village again, but moved a bit faster than they had been before with the ominous black clouds approaching the island.

It only took them about a half hour to reach the village gate, and upon reaching the wooden barrier overlooking the hill leading to the village below, Cassian challenged Aquila to a race to the bottom. The two younger hunters immediately started running down the hill as fast as they could, with Iliana trailing behind them a ways and laughing, while Jango chuckled and jogged after them, going a bit slower than the others to prevent his condition from firing up.

York took his time down the hill, watching the four as they entered the village one after another. He turned his gaze upwards, seeing the sun beginning to set on the horizon to the west, painting the area a rich golden-orange color. The trees and rocks cast long shadows, streaking the grassy slope with lines of black, while the ocean reflected a bright glare of white sunlight. The scene looked almost like it belonged in a painting, and while he did enjoy seeing this view so often, he knew it would be important for him to get home before the rain started coming down.

By the time the hooded hunter reached the gate, the four hunters-in-training had already long since departed, though the wooden streets were still bustling with activity. As he entered the village, York ran into a group of hunters as they were leaving for a night hunt.

"Well well, if it ain't York!" one of the hunters, a burly Gunlance wielder by the name of Sven said. "I was just tellin' these Loc Lackeys about you! They don't seem to believe that you were able to take down a Barroth in one swing. Want to come along with us and show 'em what you can do, old timer?"

"Ah, I would, but I just got back from a four hour trek around the entire island," he replied with a short laugh. "Maybe next time, eh? And that was more of a fluke than anything, but it did happen."

"Fluke or not, it was pretty bloody impressive! One of these days, we're gonna have to hunt together so I can see something like that again!"

"I'll still be kicking for a few more years at least, so I might take you up on that. Good hunting!" York waved the four off as they made their way off into the wilds. Glancing up, he could see that the mass of clouds had moved into position over the eastern half of the island, still a few miles from the village, but enough to cause those on the streets to rush to complete whatever they were doing to avoid the coming storm.

_Damn, with this crowd I might just want to take to the roofs now, save myself some trouble later on… _

The hooded hunter slinked behind one of the nearest buildings into the back alleys where old crates and supply boxes were stored, and few people ever wandered. York leapt on top of the nearest stack of boxes, hopping up onto the next crate before kicking himself up the wall to his left, reaching as high up as he could with his right arm. Despite the top of the roof being about half a foot outside his grasp, he knew full well he could catch it with his new wrist-mounted device.

Flicking his wrist as he neared the peak of his jump, the blade hidden in his sleeve extended, though a hooked attachment sprang alongside it, giving the device the same appearance as the one his father used to use. The hook caught the roof of the building and, using it as an artificial grip, the hunter pulled himself up onto the roof top. He looked over the device proudly, seeing that the hook had supported his weight completely without any sign of damage.

After his first journey into the visions of his father's past, York had found himself heavily inspired to try and replicate the armaments Virgil had used. He'd had minor success in recreating the bow-like device, but he hadn't pursued that very far, considering he was already working on a more efficient device. The hooked blade was the one that caught his attention the most, though he didn't want to sacrifice the advantage the blades had in thrusting, so he instead crafted a hook that could be released if he bent his wrist far enough back, allowing him to use both styles of the weapon. In order to prevent it from dislocating his arm when used, though, he had to craft a brace for his whole arm, which added a bit more padding to his arm as a small bonus.

York retracted the blade after a moment before turning his gaze towards his house on the southern border of the town. A path across the rooftops was apparent to him already; he had taken it numerous times before, of course, just not so much recently.

The hunter raced across the roof he stood upon before leaping across the street between the rows of buildings, landing on the opposite side with a roll before continuing his path towards home. Not many of the bystanders below took notice of him, being far too absorbed in their own affairs to pay him mind as he raced above their heads. York preferred it that way: he didn't always appreciate the attention his actions caused, and given that his garments were so unique, anyone who saw him would be liable to recognize him later.

His run across the roofs lasted only a few minutes, and ended with him sliding down a clothesline attached to his home's balcony from the adjacent building's window. With a short huff of exhaustion, York stepped into his home and made his way downstairs, tossing his longcoat onto the hook by the door as he did so.

"Guess she might be a while," he muttered after checking around the house for his wife. Rose wasn't home yet, it seemed; some days she ended up staying late in the market selling a few excess meals she cooked, though it was possible she had just gotten caught up in the crowds rushing to their homes.

His gaze shifted to the white blade mounted on the wall above the space his work table used to be located. He hadn't had more than a few moments to himself for a while, meaning he hadn't been able to delve into the secrets the blade held since the first time. It was something he had grown increasingly interested in, to the point where he had tried to sneak downstairs in the dead of night to try viewing it again. Unfortunately, the glowing gem was still 'recharging', meaning when his wife came down after him a few minutes later, he had to cover up his motives by saying that he had just been looking for a midnight snack. Since then, she'd made sure to fall asleep with an iron grip on him, thinking he was trying to get more work in when she was sleeping.

_Wes may have had a point when he said she could be a little overbearing a few years back, _he thought dryly, itching at the scar below his eye patch. _Ah, who am I kidding, I've known that since day one. Still, now that I've got a bit of alone time, maybe the sword will have something new to show me today._

He made his way over to his equipment chest and flipped the lid open, pulling the glowing red gem out from beneath the excess black hides he had carved from the Alatreon so many years before. Despite how dangerous and evil the creature was, it had proven itself to be a source of some of the best armor York could've asked for. The leather made from its hide was the sturdiest he'd ever seen, and its scales were effective in both weapons and armors. He'd used the leather for many pieces of his son's armor, as well as creating an inner lining for his own suit to provide extra defense. He found it ironic that the biggest threat to his life, and the lives of so many others, was now being used to better shield him from danger.

Still, he wasn't as concerned with the black dragon's old skins, instead focusing solely on the glowing red gem in his hand. It was pulsating just as powerfully as it had all those months before, producing a dim red glow from within its core. The hunter took the gem and the white-bladed sword into his work room, setting the weapon on his table and staring at the gem intently. The only question now was how to get it to react with the sword.

_I was just wondering what it was the first time… How did I get it to work last time? I felt like it wanted to show me something… _

"C'mon…" he mumbled, focusing entirely on the glowing gem in his hand. "Show me what the past was like. Just like the last time… Let's see what it holds."

As he stared into the ruby, it began to glow more fiercely, and just as it had before, several 'tendrils' shot out from it, spreading to the walls of the small room and flooding it in a reddish glow. York initially shielded his eye from the light, but lowered his hand as his sight adjusted to the brightness, seeing that one of the tendrils had connected with the sword and was lighting up the second rune engraved on the flat of the blade. He shifted his gaze to the gem itself, feeling as though the center of the gem was sucking his mind in, before blacking out entirely.

* * *

York awoke with the familiar sensation of weightlessness he had felt the first time he delved into the sword, these memories of his father's that were somehow imprinted into its pure white edge. It took a moment for everything to come into focus, but after a moment he found himself watching his father race into a medium-sized chamber with two exits on opposite ends, lit by strange gem-like devices along the walls. The man came to a stop in the center of the room, scanning around vigilantly.

"Blast, where did they go..." Virgil muttered. York assumed he had been pursuing someone, though even as he looked around, he couldn't see a single figure within the room.

Suddenly, the man's head shot upwards, and he quickly leapt back as a trio of shadows dropped from the ceiling above, each one brandishing a black-bladed, single-edged sword. The three black-cloaked figures landed lightly in crouches, slowly getting to their feet as Virgil drew his white sword and leveled it at his side.

"So, you decided to show yourselves after all... Let's not waste any time then!"

The three silently spread out to either side, their black blades practically absorbing the light as it contacted them. The white-robed man glanced between the three, eying them warily to see which would make the first move as he raised his blade into a defensive stance. York thought that the black-cloaked men were going to attempt to just overpower Virgil, since they had strength in numbers.

The leftmost figure acted first, darting towards him, blade raised. A split second later, the other two joined their ally in charging the man from the front, while Virgil took a step back and readied himself to parry. Virgil eyed their blades as they descended towards him before whipping his own sword up to block. He angled his blade in a diagonal position, bracing against the flat of the blade right as his opponents' blades struck his. His form strong, Virgil was able to resist the combined attack from all three cultists by causing their blades to ricochet off to the side. The three stumbled back, and Virgil retaliated by twisting around and slashing the middle figure from the left hip to the right shoulder, slicing the cultist clean in half with one swing.

The other two leapt away from the man as the halves of their comrade fell to the stone floor in a spray of blood. Virgil darted around the man and raced towards the cultist on the right, slashing at his neck with the white blade. The black-robed figure quickly blocked the strike and locked blades with the Oath Keeper, pushing against him in a contest of strength. The other remaining cultist rushed Virgil while he was immobilized by his ally, thrusting his blade at the blue-eyed man's abdomen.

Virgil must have seen him coming, though, because he was able to twist away from the man's blade before it could connect. In one swift move, he extended his hooked wrist blade and used the curved blade to catch his second assailant's sword, redirecting his stab into his ally's chest. The black blade easily pierced straight through the man's chest and out his back, and before the cultist could pull his blade free Virgil finished his spin and slashed his sword arm off at the wrist, leaving the black-robed figure disarmed in two ways. The man stumbled back as his severed appendage fell to the ground, and Virgil swung his hooked blade into the cultist's jaw, twisting himself around as well as his opponent, before snapping the figure's neck over his shoulder.

The white-robed man grunted in surprise as the third cultist came at him again; he had pulled his ally's blade free from his chest, and was using both to attack him! Virgil pulled the dead cultist's body over his back and used it as a shield to stop a pair of slashes from the black-robed figure, dislodging his wrist blade in the process, and leapt back to evade another trio of slashes from his opponent.

The man followed after him, though, swinging both blades at him with intense speed. Virgil blocked the strike, but his sword was launched into the air in the process. The cultist tried to act upon the white-robed man's lack of weapon, slashing both swords at him once again. Virgil brought his wrist blade up again, catching one of the blades with the hook and ducking below the man's arms, causing the black blade to instead impale the cultist's other arm. Not breaking pace, the blue-eyed man grabbed his opponent's sword arm and ran him through with his own blade, leaving the cultist struggling with both arms pinned by the blades. Virgil pushed him back a few feet into the wall as his blade fell from above, the white blade seeming to give off a distinct glow as it neared him.

Instead of catching the blade as York thought he would, though, Virgil spun around and, with the most precise timing he had ever seen, kicked the pommel of the sword with the bottom of his foot, launching the blade at the cultist like an arrow leaving a bowstring. The tip pierced through the black-robed figure's neck and pinned him up against the wall behind him, and after struggling for a few moments, the man went limp.

"They're getting smarter," Virgil mumbled, walking up to the fallen cultist and pulling his blade free from the corpse's throat, letting the cloaked figure fall to the ground. He swiped the blade through the air, throwing the blood off the edge, before sheathing it at his side. More footsteps filled the chamber a moment later, and the white-robed man turned as the grey-cloaked elder, Drock, walked into the room, his staff lightly clacking against the stone floor. Virgil bowed to him quickly as he met with the man in the middle of the chamber.

"Master Drock, you needn't have come to check on my progress," Virgil said.

"I am not as feeble as my appearance would have you believe," the elder replied, surveying the battleground. "The main advance team was repelled, so our stronghold will still remain safe for the time being. It is good that you handled the scouts, though. With any luck, this won't lead to another surprise attack… I have already sent men to search the areas around here for any other members of the Brilliant Darkness. You did well to handle this group, Virgil."

"Thank you. I fear they are growing in strength, though… Their coordination and resistance is growing by the day, as well as their stealth capabilities. I fear we may have to move on to another hideout soon…"

"That will be a decision made if it is deemed necessary. As for our enemies…" The older man made his way over to the fallen cult member, the limp body propped up against the wall. "…let us see how they have grown." Drock used his staff to pull back the body's hood and remove the black face mask covering its face, revealing the horrid visage of the corpse below.

The man's skin was a deathly white, as if the sun hadn't seen it in years. His head was shaved clean; not even eyebrows remained. Numerous scars lined his head, including several over the eyes, both of which were sewn shut using thick black strings. The mouth was similarly closed, leaving the corpse to look like a demented marionette.

"By the… How far have they gone?" Virgil muttered, taken aback by the body's appearance.

"It would seem they've begun to directly take control of the members minds… Erase all but the knowledge of combat and strategy, leaving nothing but a mindless killing machine in its stead. No thoughts, no emotions, no hesitation. An effective weapon… One that doesn't shake in fear, one that doesn't feel pain."

"Yet they aren't invincible," the white-robed man pointed out. "Directly fatal wounds can still kill them. At least they haven't become completely supernatural yet…"

"Our adversary is daunting indeed, but you are right in that they are not undefeatable. It is a struggle the Oath Keepers have had to endure for many a century, and one we have scantly gained the upper hand in. The Alatreon is the biggest threat to our world now, and it is one that we alone are capable of destroying."

"Only a pure blade can pierce its scales effectively…" Virgil mumbled, glancing down at the blade at his waist.

"Yes, though we are losing a far greater number of them than is safe. Do you know of how the blades are forged?"

"They can only be made with the intended wielder present, under the full moon, using Purecrystals, Eltalite Ore, and Meldspar Ore, correct?"

"Indeed. Yet, no two are truly the same, even if they have similar features. That is because the spirit of the wielder is, in a sense, inlaid into the sword itself. It takes on the appearance best suited to that man or woman's style, to serve as their true weapon."

"Such as Elena's dagger or Felix's broadsword, yes?"

"Correct. However, the process of forging them is a long one, and if the blade isn't passed down to a successor, it fades away with its wielder upon death. Our numbers have dwindled greatly over the last fifteen years, and the forging process and gathering of materials is too long to be able to provide every Keeper with a pure blade. Those who do have one are targeted specifically by our enemies in order to remove the threat each one poses."

"They began doing that about ten years ago, if I recall… They made these dark blades to counter the pure blades and help them better combat our warriors," Virgil commented, picking up one of the fallen cultist's swords. "It's a vile thing..."

"Forged with the scales of the Alatreon's last body, combined with Dark Metal," Drock elaborated as Virgil tossed the blade down. "They lack the same cutting power of the pure blades, but they are more than powerful enough to warrant our concern. Those who wield these blades are meant to combat pure blade wielders, and unfortunately they've had some great success... Many of the wielders also had access to Spirit Mode, which only proves that our enemies are growing in observation as well…"

"Spirit Mode…" Virgil murmured thoughtfully. "Barely any of our warriors have that capability, and those that do try to avoid using it if it isn't necessary, just as our mages try to avoid casting overly powerful spells. It shortens the user's lifespan, after all…"

"A sacrifice meant to invoke the giving of one's life for the good of humanity," the elder explained. "Only a select few have access to Spirit Mode, and there is still much mystery behind its true potential. What is known is that it frees the physical restraints on the body, but only if the user has to protect something or someone, as you learned all those years ago when you and Lady Elena were attacked in the deep woods. Some are able to master the technique and call upon it even without an apparent need to protect something, but it lacks power in that case. Even fewer warriors have been able to go beyond Spirit Mode, I recall… There are three instances in the past of our greatest warriors achieving Seraph Mode, though they are just legends…"

"Master, pardon the interruption, but I do know this information…"

"Ah, yes, I forget myself. It would seem our enemies gather info after every skirmish, even when there are no survivors… Perhaps your observation from before has more merit to it than I initially believed. Come, there is much work to be done, and I'm certain Lady Elena would like to know you are alive and well, yes?"

"Ah, I believe you are right," Virgil replied, bowing once more and following after the elder as he made his way towards the exit.

_Well, this is definitely an informative memory… _York thought, watching the pair head towards the tunnel leading farther inside the complex. _I never knew how far Crez was willing to take the initiation ceremony… Zeal must've been in a state of mind that didn't require the full process, but that left him able to break free of it. And the pure blades… Those are rare materials, but not exceedingly hard to get. I hope I can see the forging process in one of these memories; that might allow me to finish those sword designs Wes sent. And that explains why Felix and Virgil's pure blades didn't shatter, since they gave them to me before they died. And now I have a name for that white aura… Spirit Mode, huh? Still, this doesn't answer everything I want to know… And what did he mean by 'shortens the wielder's lifespan'?_

The hunter attempted to follow after the pair as they departed, but as he did he felt the memory begin to fade out, groaning to himself in irritation at how short the memory was. The scene brightened to a blinding white, and York found himself blacking out again.

* * *

York groaned as he pushed himself up, shaking his head to clear his vision. The glowing ruby had dimmed yet again, leaving the gem as a dull red object in his grasp. With a short sigh, the one-eyed hunter stood up, taking the sword with him and departing the room. He checked the clock on the wall, noting that only about a minute had passed, so it was still about the same time as it had been when he had delved into the past. He returned the white blade to its place on the wall and placed the dull red gem in his item chest, concealing it beneath the black dragon's hides and scales, before taking a look through the various minerals he had stored within.

_Let's see here… I have a couple Purecrystals, and some Eltalite Ore left over from my last trip to the Volcano region, but I'm low on Meldspar Ore… I'll have to see whether Hugh or Zephyr can get some for me next time they're in the area. I still have another few months to train the young ones with, so I'm not going to have any chances to take them out to grounds that dangerous._

The hunter closed the lid of his item chest before returning to his desk, grabbing a piece of paper and a pencil from the drawer as he did. He quickly scribbled down what he remembered about the pure blade forging process, including the materials required and the other details regarding the intended wielder, the preservation of the blades, and the full moon part.

About five minutes later, he heard the front door knob jiggle slightly before flinging open, and Rose stepped inside and quickly shut the door to escape the rain outside, breathing a short sigh of relief as soon as she did so.

"Welcome back," York greeted, stepping into the living room from his work space.

"Oh, York! I didn't know you had gotten home already!" she replied, walking over to him and kissing him lightly. "Sorry, I'd hug you, but I'm completely soaked right now."

"Want me to get dinner started while you head up and change?"

"Well, I _would_ like you to, but I also know you can't cook," the green-eyed woman giggled. "I'll only be a minute, and then I can get something whipped up for us. Don't miss me too much!"

"You know I will," York chuckled as his beloved ascended the staircase to their room.

He made his way into the kitchen and checked what they had to eat; he may not have any aptitude for the culinary arts himself, but he still knew what Rose used in several her recipes, enough that he could get most of them out for her ahead of time. It only took him about a minute to gather everything for a small yet appetizing meal of Kelbi steak burgers, and by then his wife had returned from their room, wearing a fresh change of clothes.

"Looks like someone's hungry," she joked, walking over to the short pile of ingredients. York smirked at her as she approached, earning an interested smile from her. "What?"

"Nothing, just glad to have beat the rain," he replied sarcastically, motioning towards her still-damp hair. "But you are right, I haven't eaten in a few hours, and taking a walk around the entire island takes a toll on the stomach."

"In that case, I'll whip these right up!"

It hardly took Rose a half hour to make two full meals for the two of them, which York was immensely grateful for. The last meal he had eaten was a small ration for lunch, which was not particularly good tasting or filling, so he quickly scarfed the food down, hardly taking breaths between bites. After cleaning their plates, Rose retreated to their room while York cleared both of their dishes. Once he was done, York followed her up and sat next to her on the edge of their bed, gazing out at the heavy rain as it poured from the dark skies above.

"I can't even remember the last time it rained like this," she commented. "It's really harsh, even for out here…"

"It isn't often we get this much rain," York agreed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Still, at least the roof is holding out, right? Good thing I got that all repaired before this, else we'd be sleeping in a pond."

"I suppose that's true…" she murmured, leaning against him. York noticed that she had a very worried expression on her face, one he'd only seen a few times before.

"What's bothering you?" he asked.

"I'm just getting a really bad feeling… Like something horrible happened…" Rose shivered a little as a blue flash of lightning lit up the room, followed by the dull boom of thunder a few seconds later. "I'm worried about Wes…"

"I'm sure he's holding up just fine," York replied, holding his beloved closer. "Sure, hunting isn't a safe profession, but he knows not to take chances he isn't ready for. The kid's got a hard head, but he isn't dimwitted."

"I know, I know… Can't a mother worry though?"

"Yeah, I suppose you have that 'maternal instinct' down to the letter… Still, if anything happened, your parents are in Loc Lac. They could look after him until we arrive."

"That's true… Maybe I'm just stressing a little. It's been a couple weeks since the last letter he sent, after all. I guess I should just try to get my mind off of it… How were the students today?"

"Still making good progress. That new kid's a good addition to the team, and I think that by the start of summer, they should be able to take the hunter's exam and be off on their own. I hope those four stick together afterwards. Though I do hope they remember to use paintballs next time… We spent way too long chasing down that Qurupeco."

"Really? You couldn't see a bright bird like that?" Rose smirked, looking up at him and tapping the right side of his head, nearby his eyepatch. "I guess this wound has been more problematic than you let on, Mr. Adler."

"Not at all, I just handed the reins to the students this time around. I can't do everything for them, you know. Hunters don't get better by just hanging back and watching others do their jobs for them. And my eyesight is just fine, Mrs. Adler; I can still see your beautiful face, after all."

"Oh stop, you'll make me blush," she teased, kissing him on the cheek. "It's good to hear you can still see, though. I'd hate to lose another one of those eyes of yours. They're such a pretty shade of blue."

"I didn't lose it, I gave it to our son, remember?" the hunter chuckled, tapping his eye patch lightly. "Course, he got one of yours too."

"Kinda like how he got your courage, and my kindness?"

"Yeah, just like that," York said, recalling the first time he had told that to Rose about their son, a few years after Wes had been born. "So, how does going to bed early sound today?"

"Oh? Feeling tired after a long day?" Rose inquired teasingly, leaning in a little closer and bringing her face close to his.

"Quite the opposite, actually," he grinned, leaning in and kissing her lovingly. They remained in each other's embrace for a good long while, enjoying the company they provided each other. They pulled apart after several minutes, staring intently into each other's eyes. "It has been a while, you know."

"I don't think I'd mind that," she purred, leaning in to kiss him again. Before they could embrace each other again, though, they were interrupted by the sound of someone pounding on their front door. Rose looked none too pleased at the sudden interruption. "Who the hell could that be? And in weather like this?"

With an irritated sigh, York pushed himself up and began to head towards the door out of their room, with Rose following him. "Might as well see what they want…"

The pounding continued the entire time he took walking to answer the door, and when he finally pulled it open, he saw the dark figure of a man standing in the doorway, his silhouette being illuminated by a flash of lightning.

"York..."

"Holy-! Sven, what the hell happened to you?! Rose, get anything you can to help stop the bleeding!" the hunter said urgently, grabbing the other man's arm and pulling him inside.

The gunlance user's other arm had been severed at the elbow! Rose quickly retrieved her first-aid kit from the kitchen before returning to where York had sat the hunter down, getting a few blankets to help keep Sven's blood from coating the floor too badly. His Lagiacrus armor was dented and bloody, meaning the man probably had more injuries underneath. The pair immediately took to removing his armor, and Rose began tending his arm wound while York unbuckled the straps holding the plates to Sven's legs.

"The bleeding isn't as bad as it should be," Rose muttered, focusing intently on the man's arm. "Whatever did this must've been extremely hot; the wound is almost completely cauterized already. Still, this isn't good..."

"York..." the man muttered, reaching out and grasping the one-eyed man's shoulder with his remaining arm. "You've... gotta help 'em..."

"What did this to you?" York asked quickly. He hadn't seen any kind of wound like this on during his hunting career, let alone on Moga before.

"It... was like a Plesioth, but... something completely different..." Sven groaned, his arm dropping to the floor. "You... you're the best hunter I know...! You gotta help the others... bring it down... Else it might attack Moga too..."

The man breathed a heavy sigh before slumping over, losing consciousness. Rose immediately moved her hand to check his pulse, while York glanced at her uncertainly.

"He's alive, but we need to get him to Doc as soon as possible. I can't do much else for a wound like this..."

"Can you get him there on your own?" the hunter asked.

"Of course... Are you going to go help the others?"

"It'd be kind of a dick move not to at this point."

York got to his feet and walked over to the chair his coat rested over, pulling it on over his shoulders and strapping his gauntlets on. He then strode over to the wall, grabbing hold of his father's blade. The pale white sword hadn't seen combat in years, yet it still looked as pristine as the day it was made. He didn't use it regularly, considering it made hunts a touch too easy, as well as the fact that it was an heirloom, but now was not the time to worry about such things. He sheathed the blade at his side and strapped his item pack on before turning to face Rose as she helped Sven up, supporting the man with her own surprisingly impressive strength.

"I'll help him over to the hospital and see if there's anything else I can do for him, but after that, I'm coming to help you too."

"Rose, you don't have to-"

"York, I'm not just going to let you run off on your own, not for long at least. No matter what you say, I'm going to help you out as soon as I possibly can. And I swear, if you get yourself killed, I will bring you back to life just to tell you off for doing something so reckless!"

The one-eyed hunter afforded himself a short chuckle before kissing her lightly, knowing that she wouldn't give up on this argument.

"Well, I can imagine a worse fate than that. Hurry along now, Mrs. Adler."

"I mean it!" she said, hurrying towards the door and departing for the hospital with Sven in tow.

"Guess we'll find out." York pulled his hood over his head before ducking out into the rain, running off towards the exit into the woods.

* * *

The hunter came to a stop at the short valley leading towards the area the beast was supposedly located in, panting a little in exhaustion. The sky was dark, though it appeared that most of the storm had passed over the island already, so there was enough light to make out the areas well. The rain had lightened somewhat, which only helped him see better, despite the conditions. Over the drone of rain and the occasional boom of thunder, he could hear a strange, metallic roar that he hadn't ever heard before.

_It must be over there, _he thought, readying himself to move on after his short break. _Hopefully the others aren't dead… I could make short work of it if they weren't around, but I'm not going to sacrifice their lives to make it easier to take down one monster, especially when that'll end up killing me sooner too._

York picked up the pace again, heading through the shallow creek that ran between the two areas. He could hear a few muffled shouts over the rain, meaning the others must still be alright… or so he hoped. It only took him a few seconds to make his way into the next area, though he slid to a stop and gasped as his gaze fell on the creature.

It was at least fifty feet tall, easily being able to tower over a Deviljho. The creature had a dark grey colored body, but he couldn't be sure due to the poor lighting. A pair of large 'wings' that were too thick to enable flight jutted out from its shoulders, but had red-colored fins on the back of each that looked like giant blades which seemed to emit steam. It had a thin serpentine body that ended at a point on its tail, with very stocky legs that were thin near the feet, leaving sizable oval prints wherever it stepped. The creature had stocky, yet quick movements, surprising for a beast of its size.

Its head was shaped like a snake's, ending at the nose in a point, while its mouth was separated into four parts connected by a thin membrane, with numerous sharp teeth lining the interior and a heavy shovel-like chin extending past the rest of its head. Several spikes jutted out of its 'shoulders' and 'knees', many of which looked like they could extend or separate from the body. The most imposing feature the creature had, though, were its massive, glowing red eyes that shone in the darkness like searchlights.

Two hunters were trying to fight the creature, though there was little they could do aside from attack its feet due to the beast's massive height. One was a great sword wielder garbed in High Rank Barroth armor, while the other used a lance and wore High Rank Agnaktor armor. Both looked battered and beaten, with several dents and cracks in their armor.

"About time we got help!" the Barroth-clad hunter shouted, noticing York at the entrance to the area. "Damn thing smashed Clyde under its foot a few minutes ago! We can barely keep up!"

"If we can knock it down, I think we can do some serious damage!" the lance wielder also called. "Give us a hand here!"

"On my way!" York replied, drawing his sword and charging in to join them.

From what he could tell, the main weapons the creature had were its bladed 'wings', the spikes jutting out of its joints, and the long tail it had. Its feet were also a deadly enough weapon, considering the others said their companion had been crushed by one earlier, so he'd have to watch out for stomps, as well as tailspins and wing slashes. Those were all the attacks he could predict the beast could perform; he hoped any others wouldn't be too hard to avoid, though one had been enough to sever a hunter's arm…

As the white-robed hunter closed the distance between himself and the giant creature, the beast whipped its long tail around towards the trio, kicking up rocks and water as it dragged the appendage over the ground towards them. York and the lance wielder both jumped over the attack, though the great sword user attempted to block the strike instead. The tail slammed against the flat of his blade and pushed him back across the ground, smashing the Barroth-clad hunter into the rock wall almost twenty feet back. The only thing that saved his life was the Rathalos great sword blocking the brunt of the attack.

Seeing that it had missed the other two hunters with its tail swipe, the beast attempted to crush both beneath its foot, raising it high into the air and bringing it down towards them. York quickly dashed to the right, making sure to keep the beast's main body out of his blind spot. The lance wielder attempted the same, though his weapon encumbered him too greatly, forcing him to attempt to block the attack with his shield. Luckily, he was just outside the behemoth's attack, with only the edge of its foot impacting the heavy shield. The shockwave the strike caused was more than enough to overpower the hunter's defense, however, sending him skidding back and falling over.

The one-eyed hunter reached the beast's legs by then, slashing its other foot with his pure white sword. The keen edge easily sliced through the thick hide, and York followed up with a myriad of slashes to its leg. The red-eyed monster roared in irritation before leaping into the air away from him, as if realizing his blade was far more dangerous than the other hunters' had been. As it leapt away, many of the spikes jutting out of its shoulders and knees seemed to shoot out at him like javelins. York ducked down low, evading several of them as they flew over his head, but he noted that a good number of them had landed around him as well. They looked surprisingly brittle, as if they could shatter with a great enough provocation…

York quickly pushed himself up and darted through the projectiles, getting the sense that the beast could still use them as a weapon somehow. He was quickly proven right, as the behemoth let out another resounding roar, like metal scraping against metal, the sound reverberating throughout the entire area. The spikes seemed to shake in place before splintering into hundreds of tiny fragments, detonating like explosives. The hunter cursed as one of the spikes nearby him burst apart, knocking him onto his back a few feet away.

As he recovered, the other two hunter resumed their attack, the lance wielder charging headlong at the beast with his Agnaktor lance pointed towards it while the great sword wielder flanked the monster's side. Seeing the red-armored hunter approach, the beast drew its 'wing' to the side with surprising swiftness before slashing the red-bladed end of the appendage at the man. He let out a surprised yelp as he tried to slide to a stop and bring up his shield, but he wasn't fast enough; the blade slashed clean through his shield and armor, tearing into his flesh and sending the hunter flying back across the area, the entire front of his armor smoking as if it had been burned. The hunter didn't move after sliding to a stop, lying motionless on his back, and York could tell that the wound had been fatal, killing the hunter before he even hit the ground.

The great sword wielder roared in fury upon seeing his comrade fall, swinging his heavy blade as hard as he could into the beast's leg. Even with a burst of fire element, the great sword couldn't cut particularly deep into the creature's hide, and the behemoth retaliated by knocking the hunter away with its leg. He crashed into the shallow stream in a splash of water, his sword falling from his grasp, but before he could recover the creature swung its tail around again, slamming into the man and flinging him into another wall almost thirty feet away, actually splintering parts of the stone from the impact.

Whether the man was alive or not at this point, York couldn't tell, but it didn't matter. A moment later the beast opened its segmented mouth and angled it towards the spot the Barroth-clad hunter had landed, and a thin torrent of water shot out from its maw, striking the hunter and slicing through the man's armor effortlessly, breaking the stones behind him and crushing him in a small avalanche of boulders.

This all occurred in a matter of seconds; there hadn't been time for York to help the others, and in that short timeframe the behemoth had utterly devastated the group. The one-eyed hunter swore silently upon seeing the two fallen hunters, turning his gaze back the giant serpentine creature. Its glowing red eyes shined ominously through the heavy torrent of rain, a bolt of lightning flashing behind the beast and outlining its silhouette. It stared menacingly at the hunter before letting out another metallic screech.

York pushed himself to his feet, pulling a thin piece of shrapnel the spikes splintered into free from his arm as he did so. "You think you can just show up here, attack the island, kill my comrades, and threaten my home, beast?" The hunter flipped his sword around once and leveled it at the beast before the white aura of Spirit Mode flashed to life around him. The hunter reached up to his face and removed the patch over his right eye, blinking once as he readjusted to his now-unhindered vision. "Now you've asked for it..."

This power of his was one of his closest secrets, one he never used unless the situation called for it and when no one else was present aside from close, trusted friends, and for good reason. He didn't need anyone else to see this power, considering how famous -or infamous- it could make him. The least it did for him was restore his sight in his damaged eye; he'd noted before that it caused the normally plain white orb to glow a clear blue color, similar to its original hue. The aura around him greatly increased his strength and speed as well, allowing him to perform feats that might as well be supernatural. Of course, now he knew it had been smart to avoid using it often; Spirit Mode had the effect of shortening the user's lifespan, if what his father's memories had shown him was true.

"Alright… Let's dance."

With an incredible burst of speed, York raced towards the creature, easily covering a hundred feet in a matter of seconds. He leapt high into the air with a single jump, easily coming to level with the monster's chest, before delivering a number of slashes to its chest before kicking off and falling to the ground several dozen feet below, landing deftly on his feet.

The creature roared in pain as he recovered, whipping its tail around at him without warning. The hunter didn't move to dodge; instead, he lifted his blade and blocked the strike, deflecting the beast's appendage as easily as he would another short sword, causing the lash to slam into the ground, curling around the hunter at a wide angle. The beast let out a surprised howl, not having expected its powerful tail to have been stopped, but before it could pull away, York leapt on top of the appendage and raced up the thick tail, delivering a single powerful cut to the center of its tail that completely severed it.

York again leapt back as the creature roared in pain, landing beside the massive lash as the creature leapt away from him and launched several more spikes at him. The hunter rose to his feet once again and raced towards the beast, slicing his sword every which way as the projectiles neared him and slicing them clean in half with hardly any effort. As he closed the distance between himself and the behemoth once again, the creature opened its maw and fired its water-laser at him, slicing the ground as it angled its head towards the white-robed hunter. York darted around the attack as the laser tore the ground apart next to him, leaping straight up into the air and, with the augmented strength the power Spirit Mode provided, he launched himself directly at the beast's head with a kick, his blade at his side. He sliced a line along its head, cutting out one of its glowing eyes as he did so, before landing on a cliff level with the monster's head.

The aquatic creature roared in pain and whipped its body around, and the second its remaining eye landed on the hunter's position, it attempted to devour him by slamming its open maw into the cliff. York darted past the attack, running along the length of the cliff as the beast repeatedly tried to consume him. He leapt down the rock wall and landed about twenty feet below with a short roll, turning to face the beast as it pulled its head free from the stones. Another flash of lightning illuminated the area, causing the beast to appear as a giant black silhouette once again as thunder boomed across the island. The behemoth roared as it pulled its 'wing' back, leveling the bladed end at him before bringing the appendage down at him, steam hissing off of the heated blade as the rain contacted it.

York raised his blade unflinchingly, bracing himself as the strike connected with his blade. The blow pushed him back several feet and cracked the ground beneath him, also causing sparks to fly upon contact, but he was able to hold out against the beast. With a roar of effort, the hunter pushed against the blade and threw the appendage to the side, causing it to slam into the ground next to him and kick up several bits of rock. York vaulted up onto the appendage the same way he had with the beast's tail, racing up the 'wing' before reaching its shoulder and delivering a powerful slash to the joint, severing the entire thing.

The monster roared in agony and stumbled away from him, glaring furiously at him with its one good eye. It attempted to strike him with its other bladed wing, though he dodged the attempt with a long jump backwards, glancing over at the ruined cliff he had ran through just a few moments before. The wall rose high up into the air, far above even the creature's head. The hunter quickly formulated a plan before rushing at the creature.

The creature fired another jet of water at him, dragging it horizontally across the ground and kicking up several chunks of rock and dirt. The hunter dropped to a slide to avoid the debris, avoiding most of the chunks of stone, though a sizable one managed to catch him in the side. He grunted slightly, but rolled to his feet and continued his charge towards the creature. York darted between its legs, slashing its left foot as he raced past it and towards the wall behind it.

The one-eyed hunter kicked up the wall as he reached it, using the hook attachment on his wrist blade to slingshot himself further up the cliff face. As the behemoth turned to face him, York leapt off the wall and landed on the tip of its snout and, since he had a lack of balance, he kicked off towards the wall again with as much effort as he could. The pure strength behind the kick forced the beast to lower its head and roar in irritation.

York flipped once in midair, landing with both legs coiled against the wall. He pushed off again, launching himself towards the beast, both hands on the white blade in preparation for a powerful strike to its head. The monster saw him coming, though, and reacted far more quickly than York had thought it could, swinging its other bladed fin at him. The hunter quickly raised his sword in a defensive position, blocking the attack just in time to avoid the heated blade from slicing him apart.

While he did manage to block it, though, he couldn't stop the creature's mass in midair, and the hunter found himself thrown back into the wall almost twenty feet higher than he had been. His impact with the cliff face actually cracked the stone wall, leaving a notable mark, though the hunter merely shook it off, his Spirit Mode helping to keep him from sustaining grievous impact wounds.

The one-eyed hunter freed himself from the wall just before the creature fired another jet of water at him, avoiding the beam attack in the nick of time. The beam connected with the cliff face, though, blasting a small avalanche of boulders free from the wall and causing them to plummet towards him. Thinking quickly, York extended his hooked blade and caught the rock wall, pulling himself up towards the peak of the collapse. He landed on the topmost boulder before jumping down towards the next, making his way through the falling rocks and using them as cover.

The beast responded with a angered screech, firing another beam of water up at him and also launching a volley of spikes up at him, splitting stones with the stream of water and breaking others with the spikes. Even then, York made his way through the chaos with an almost superhuman speed and accuracy, dodging the splinters of bone and rock as well as the spray of pressurized water as he drew closer to the behemoth.

Darting onto the bottom of a flat rock, the hunter pushed off as the monster turned its gaze towards him, landing on its head and planting his sword firmly in its snout as he did. He pulled his free arm back and extended the hooked end of his wrist blade in one motion, swinging it around directly into the aquatic behemoth's remaining eye. He twisted it around once and pulled it back, gouging out the glowing socket and blinding the creature completely.

It howled in pain at the loss of its sight, reeling its head back in an attempt to throw the hunter into the air and devour him as he fell. York used his sword as an anchor to resist the attempt, though he leapt off as it fully craned its neck back, momentarily coming to a stop in the process. He slashed his sword against its body as he fell, cutting a long line through most of its back. He landed dexterously, flipping the blade around once to clear a large amount of blood from its edge.

With an agonized screech, the beast toppled to the ground, its wounds resulting in a massive amount of blood loss, enough that the water in the area was stained red. It let out a pained groan as York made his way around its body and to its head. The creature struggled to push itself up, but to no avail; it was just too weak. It couldn't see the hunter as he neared its head, though it must've been able to hear his footsteps on the flooded ground, and tried to arch its head towards him. Before it could make an attempt to attack him, though, York drove his blade into its jaw, lifting its head up above himself and twisting the blade around before rushing forwards, slashing a grievous wound through the thick bone that made up the beast's maw. The monster made a pained gurgling noise, but it struggled no more, only letting out struggled huffs as it clung to life.

"Sorry, these are nature's rules, big guy," York said, stepping onto its head and flipping the blade over into a reverse grip, aiming the tip towards the monster's brain. "I'm just protecting my territory."

With a short grunt, he planted the blade up to its hilt in the creature's skull, ending the behemoth's life once and for all as it tore through its brainstem. York wrenched the blade free and leapt down to the ground below before sheathing his sword at his side and letting the aura dissipate. A familiar feeling of fatigue washed over him then, and the hunter grunted as he fell onto his backside tiredly, sitting just at the edge of the shallow pool of water that made up most of the area.

"Bah… I'm getting too old for this shit…" he mumbled, pulling his hood down and strapping his eye patch back on. After a few moments of rest, he pushed himself back up and began to head towards the exit of the area. The rain had finally begun to let up by then, slowing down to just a light drizzle. The moon and stars were somewhat visible through the clouds, casting a pale light on most of the island that provided him with clear visibility.

As he neared the valley, though, he heard a few shouts over the rain, and a few armored figures rounded the corner in front of him. He was shocked to realize that the first was Rose, fully garbed in her old Barioth armor, but was more surprised to see that the other four were his apprentices.

"What the-? York, you're alright!" she cried, rushing towards him and embracing him tightly. "I came as quickly as I could!"

"Well, I appreciate the concern, but you didn't have to worry yourself that much," he laughed, hugging her for a few moments before pulling away. "I don't plan on kicking the bucket just yet. But let's not have a show in front of the young ones, eh?"

"Er… Good point…"

"Why did you four come along, anyways?" York asked, turning his gaze to the four hunters as they eyed the scene in amazement. "None of you are authorized for nighttime hunting here, let alone regular hunting!"

"Well, eh…" Aquila stuttered, shifting his shield a little nervously. "We… kinda saw Mrs. Adler run past the tavern wearing armor, so we decided to follow after and see what the problem was."

"And by 'we', he really means 'them'," Ilia continued, glancing over at her teammates as they looked between each other awkwardly. "These knuckleheads decided they wanted to help against the 'mystery monster', and I didn't want to have to go to class tomorrow missing three teammates."

"Let's be honest here, you wanted to come help just as much as we did," Cass said, earning an irritated look from the bowgunner. "What? I ain't lying. We've never actually seen Mrs. Adler wearing hunting gear before, so something must've been exciting for her to get suited up."

"We all wanted to come along, yeah, but it was Mrs. Adler who got us past the guards by the exit," Jango pointed out. "She noticed us following after, and since there weren't any other hunters around, she let us come out in case you needed some back up, Teach."

York turned his gaze back to Rose, who gave him a short shrug in response. "What can I say, you spoke highly of them."

"Well, in any case, everything's alright now," the one-eyed hunter reassured, motioning back to the fallen creature's carcass. "We really should be getting back to the village though; you four shouldn't even be out here, and I get the feeling there'll be a lot of questions to answer tomorrow."

The hunters-in-training agreed rather quickly, and York let them take the lead on the way back to the village gate so he and Rose could keep an eye on them. He noticed that she was giving him a rather concerned look, which he wondered at.

"What? Something on my face?"

"No, but… did you always have that much gray hair?"

* * *

**_Author Notes: Please review! This was a chapter born of ambition, and a few surprising revelations. While listening to music on Youtube, I came across an alternate version of the song 'Rules of Nature' from the Metal Gear Rising Soundtrack that was originally in the demo version of said game, titled 'Locked and Loaded'. I was rather fond of the song, and I felt I should use it for something, which turned out to be the monster for this chapter: Gear Ray!_**

**_Another interesting discovery in the drafting of this chapter was that, similar to Gear Rex, there actually was a realistic version of Metal Gear RAY drawn up for potential use in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, which was released in an art book for said game. It was going to be titled MG Ray, but it was cut before they started development on it, from what I gathered. Still, the idea lived on, and here's my altered interpretation of it!_**

**_I got some much needed exposition in as well, at least in regards to Spirit Mode and the Pure Blades. These memory sequences have to be one of the best ideas I've had for this story... Aside from the main plot, of course! I was also glad to be able to include another OC this time around, despite the difficulties it sometimes presents in adding them in. Jango will probably stick around for a while whenever York's apprentices make an appearance. That being said, I do still appreciate the OC requests, so feel free to submit them at your leisure! I doubt they'll have an impact in the plot at this point, but there's still some room to include them, so act now if you want a spot later on!_**

**_I gotta say, I'm pretty excited for the new Smash Bros. game coming out next month. I've been playing a lot of Melee and Brawl lately to get myself hyped, and I've even taken Project M for a spin a few times. I really think I played that game a little too much as a kid... Let's just say at the end of the other night I had 100 kills while everyone else in the room only had and average of 15. Yeah... Good times. I've actually been getting some inspiration from those games as well though, so expect a few Smash Bros. moves to sneak in here and there too. Inspiration FTW!_**

_**Ah, and I almost forgot to point this out, but I updated my cover image for the story! Instead of a hand drawn and colored piece, I used MS Paint for a cleaner image and more vibrant colors. Turns out I'm not too shabby at computer art either! Well, I'm not the greatest, but hey, it could be worse, right? Let me know what you all think! Until next time!**_

**_Playing: _**_MH3U, Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D, Super Smash Bros. Melee &amp; Brawl_

**_Watching:_**_RWBY Volume 2_

**_Listening to:_**_Rise Against, The Offspring, Avenged Sevenfold_

**_Reading: _**_The Lost Civilization: DLC, Wikipedia Articles that amuse me, TV Tropes pages that do the same_


	17. Doubts

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 17- Doubts

Wes slowly blinked his eyes open, grimacing a little as he pushed himself up. He felt like he should be hurting immensely, yet… he just wasn't. He gazed around to try and find his bearings, quizzically eying his surroundings.

He wasn't anywhere he'd seen before, that was for sure. He was sitting in the middle of a large, grassy meadow, with a bright yellow sun hanging directly above him in a cloudless blue sky. Off in the distance, he thought he could make out a number of trees, though only after focusing in that direction for a few moments. Everything outside the field seemed... hazy, like it was hidden from his view. He shifted his gaze over to the right, and noticed that a number of mountains protruded from the earth, but as he did the same for the other two cardinal directions, he found that he couldn't make them out nearly as well. Was one... a desert? And what was the last one? It seemed even more distant than the previous landmarks...

Still, something else felt… off. He hardly registered that he was touching grass at all, and he couldn't feel a single breeze either, even though he could see the lush green grass shifting in the wind. The heat of the sun didn't touch him at all, even though it shined intensely. Everything was just… there, but also not there.

_What the hell…? Where is this? I… I thought the airship came back for me! Did they just dump me off in some field…? I can get why they'd be pissed at me, but… No, they wouldn't have just abandoned me in the middle of nowhere… Would they?_

The hunter noticed that he was missing a familiar weight on his back as well. His dual blades were gone! The swords his father had made him as a parting gift that he had sworn not to lose! He looked around frantically, but there was no sign of the silver blades anywhere. As he did so, he saw that not only were his swords missing, his wrist blades were no longer strapped to his arms, leaving him utterly weaponless. He realized that his pouch felt a lot lighter as well, and after a quick check, he saw that the bag was completely empty. Fortunately, he still had his armor, so he had some form of protection, but aside from that…

"You've gotta be kidding me…" he groaned. "All my throwing knives and smoke bombs are gone too… Completely lost in the middle of nowhere with nothing to use as a weapon? Just like in _Rise of the Hunter… _Whatever, there's no use just standing around waiting for something to happen. Better get a move on, see if I can't find some of my things…"

Wes began heading towards the direction the forest lied in, feeling that even if he couldn't find any of his things within, he could at least improvise a shelter and some equipment. After a moment of looking at the foliage, though, he thought he could make out a pyramid-like structure poking out above the trees. Was that... the ruins from the Flooded Forest? Whatever it was, he knew he couldn't find out by just standing there, and he made his way towards the expanse of trees.

As he started his trek, though, he heard a loud howl and a crash behind him, as if something had dropped from the sky. He turned as quick as he could, bringing up his arms to shield his eyes from the gust of wind that the object had kicked up before lowering them slightly to get a view of whatever it was that had fallen.

His heart nearly skipped a beat as his gaze fell on the towering form of a Stygian Zinogre, its white and grey fur standing on end as its hulking body crackled with reddish-black dragon lightning. Its body was lined with numerous scars, its left paw seemed damaged, and it was missing a few fangs, but it seemed as though they were old wounds that wouldn't slow the beast down at all. Worst of all, though, was the blood. Crimson liquid flowed from its maw like a fountain, dripping slowly onto the ground below and staining the grass red.

The beast glared at the hunter menacingly as he took a few steps back, its horrid visage forcing his memories of the creature to resurface. _This… This can't be the same Stygian Zinogre from the Tundra, can it…? No, it has to be! Frost hurt its arm in the exact same way, and there are a few triangle marks from Snow's attacks too! But… What's it doing out in some field? And where did it come from?!_

His first instinct was to reach for his dual swords, but he brought his arms up to draw the twin blades only to find his palms grasping at empty air. How had he forgotten they were missing?! Lacking any offensive options, the hunter cautiously took a few more steps back before turning around and sprinting away as fast as he could. There was absolutely no way he could hope to fight something like the Stygian Zinogre without a weapon, and he knew there was no way he could hold it back the way Frost had done all those months ago.

The lupine creature let out a resounding howl before thundering after him, leaving a trail of blood from its maw and streaks of dragon lightning behind it as it pursued the weaponless hunter. It closed the distance between them with ease, its massive legs allowing it to cover far more ground than Wes could, despite his own agility. He ducked out of the way with a short yelp as the beast raced over the ground he had occupied a moment before, barely avoiding its charge. Unfortunately, he wasn't far enough away from its body, and a large bolt of dragon element shot out from its side and struck him directly in the back, causing him to stumble forwards in shock as a burst of pain coursed through his body.

Whatever material his black vest was made from, it was not able to resist dragon element well. The armor held together, but Wes felt the full force of the attack, as if his armor hadn't even blocked a bit of the blow. It had stunned him so badly that he wasn't even able to yell out in pain; he merely gasped and dropped to a knee as his vision swam. Only one hit and he had almost been knocked out! Not even a regular hit either, but a near miss!

_Shit… This is going to be way harder than I thought… _The hunter forced himself back to his feet as the Hell Wolf Wyvern slid to a stop, turning its body to face him as he pressed onwards. _Can't let myself stay still for too long… _

As the blue- and green-eyed hunter continued his beeline for the trees, he spared a glance back and saw the Stygian Zinogre launch a number of glowing red orbs into the air around it: Dracophage Bugs, one of the Hell Wolf Wyverns most potent weapons. He kept moving forward, making sure to keep his head cocked to the side so he could still see the glowing orbs as they shot towards him. Right before the projectiles could strike him, though, the hunter threw himself aside, watching as the bugs crashed into the ground a few feet ahead of him, searing the grass and disappearing in a flash of reddish-black lightning.

He didn't stop to celebrate, though; the Stygian Zinogre was already bearing down on him, its thunderous footsteps resounding across the meadow. It was only another fifty feet or so until he reached the treeline, though! If he could avoid it for just a little bit longer, he'd be safe!

Needing no further inclination, Wes put as much effort into sprinting as he could, racing towards the woods at a speed he never thought he'd reach outside of Demon Mode. Step by step, the lush forest drew closer, hopefully a safe haven from the vicious beast that pursued him. Still, he wasn't able to outpace the Fanged Beast, and it was soon atop him again. The hunter barely spared a glance back before seeing the creature's massive foot descending towards him, letting his instincts take over as he threw himself aside.

Again, he wasn't fully able to avoid the attack, and the shockwave by itself launched him almost fifteen feet away. The blue- and green-eyed hunter landed hard on his back, with enough force to flip over onto his stomach. With a groan, Wes pushed himself up and glanced over at the woods. He was so close now, he'd be able to make the run if he went just a few feet further!

But before he could run to safety, his gaze landed on a pair of figures standing by the treeline, just beneath a tall oak tree. He was surprised to find other people there after seeing how desolate the plains had been, but after a moment he recognized the pair of white-armored hunters.

"Frost! Snow!" he called out, relieved to have finally found some friendly faces. "Great timing! Give me a hand here, would you?!"

"Wes!" Snow replied, waving at him excitedly. "Don't worry, we'll be right there!"

The huntress took a step towards him, but before she could go further, Frost grabbed her by the shoulder, and the huntress glanced back at the long sword user. They seemed to share a silent conversation between each other in the span of a second, and when the white-haired huntress turned back around, her expression was solemn, not eager.

"…Sorry, Wes, but we can't help you. You never really wanted our help before, after all. You said you could handle anything on your own, right? Well, let's see if you can now."

"_WHAT?! _Snow, what the hell?!" he shouted, pushing himself to his feet. "I never said I could handle _everything _on my own! I can't fight this thing! Don't just leave me here! Aren't we friends?!"

"I don't know, are we?"

The huntress' reply hit Wes straight in the heart. He could only watch in a startled silence as the pair turned their backs on him and headed into the woods, a thick black smoke filling the air within. Did she actually mean that? Did she… did Snow doubt that he thought of her and Frost as friends? He may have not always looked out for them as closely as he wished he did, but he never let them get killed! And he and Snow had talked about so much during their time in the tavern, he thought that she trusted him! Was that… was none of that true?

Soon, the entire forest had disappeared in a blanket of dark clouds that rose high into the air, obscuring his view of everything inside the forest. The hunters had left him to face the Stygian Zinogre alone. He spared a glance back at the Hell Wolf Wyvern as it slowly sauntered towards him, dragon lightning falling from the sky around it. Black clouds had formed in the air above him as the reddish lightning fell, completely blotting out the sun and darkening the entire area. He backed away from it slowly, his back facing the clouded forest. He couldn't see anything inside, but maybe there'd be a way for him to escape using the smoke! Then, he could find Frost and Snow, and find out why they left him like that.

Before he could enter the woods, though, he felt himself back up into a solid object. It was smooth like glass, yet it seemed stronger than stone. He glanced back to see what was impeding his progress only to find that nothing was there. He pushed harder, but some invisible barrier was keeping him from going into the woods!

He swiftly turned his gaze back to the Zinogre as it closed the distance between them and lifted its paw above its head. Wes rolled aside to avoid its attempt to crush him yet again, and after recovering, he raced towards the northern mountains. Wes didn't spare a glance back at the woods. He only focused on getting away from the creature now, knowing that he would be able to use the rocks and cliffs as cover to escape. It was strange, though; they seemed much closer than they had before... He didn't dwell on it though, and glanced back to see where the beast that pursued him was as he arrived at the rocky base of one of the peaks.

It wasn't there. The Stygian Zinogre had just… vanished. He could've sworn it had been right behind him, its thunderous stomps shaking the ground like miniature earthquakes. But now, it was just gone! Had it given up? Or had it found some cover in the rocks at the base of the mountain somehow?

Wes warily made his way through the boulder-laden field, the only sound he could hear being his footsteps between the stones. He allowed himself to come to a stop next to a particularly large one, planting his hand on the stone surface as he huffed in exhaustion. He felt like the rock should've been much colder than it was, but he still couldn't register the real 'touch' of the stone.

He turned his gaze skyward after catching his breath. The black clouds from before had lightened to a subtle grey, casting the area into a dull monochrome.

_Where the hell is this place? _he wondered, looking around at his surroundings. He could hear the howl of wind over the boulders, yet he didn't even feel a breeze. He just felt so... _detached _from everything, it was like he wasn't supposed to be there. It was... distant. That was the only way he could properly describe it. _I'd better keep moving…_

The hunter pushed himself back up and began to make his way towards the mountain, feeling that it wasn't safe to return to the field without knowing where the Fanged Beast was. Of course, he wasn't exactly safe regardless, considering his unarmed state, but maybe he could sneak past the monsters next time if he saw them first…

As he crept through the boulder-riddled field of stone, though, he heard another roar resound around him, and he immediately dropped into a crouch and scanned around. Where had that come from? It wasn't the Zinogre, that much he could tell; the roar was too draconic to be the Hell Wolf Wyvern. His eyes darted around frantically from one boulder to the next, trying to find the source of the roar as an intense wind rushed through the area. After a few moments of searching, his eyes landed on a shadow in the center of the area, and he swiftly craned his neck up to see what cast it. His breath caught in his throat as his eyes landed on the fast-approaching beast.

The Silver Rathalos! It was plummeting towards him in a nose dive, flames streaking from its maw and blanketing its body in a burning coat. With a furious roar, it unfurled its wings and caught the air in the grey membranes of its wings, slowing it down immensely just before it hit the ground. The flames surrounding its body still traveled to the ground, though, unleashing a wave of fire in all directions.

Wes barely brought his arms up in time to shield his face before the wave reached him, launching him back into a boulder at a tremendous speed. The hunter fell to the ground after a moment, tasting blood in his mouth. He should have broken several bones from his collision with the thick stone, yet he felt like none of them had. It didn't mean they didn't hurt like hell though.

He struggled to his feet as the beast landed in the scorched field, its claws scraping against the stone floor. The beast still bore the wounds of their previous fight, many of which were still bleeding, yet it seemed like it was hardly slowed down at all. All the wounds did was serve to make the creature appear more menacing.

There was one thing that gave Wes hope, though: his swords were both firmly embedded in the Silver Rathalos', back where he had attacked it during his free fall battle with the wyvern! If he could get them back, he'd stand a fighting chance!

"Alright, this shouldn't be too hard…" he mumbled, staring down the creature before him. He'd have to get it to charge at him for his plan to work, though he didn't know how likely that was, considering how powerful the silver wyvern's fireballs were…

Before he could put any more thought into how he could trick the creature into charging him, though, the beast roared and did just that, racing towards him with flames in its maw.

_Perfect! _ The hunter likewise charged the creature, running as fast as he could and closing the distance between himself and the beast in a matter of seconds.

Right before the flying wyvern ran him down, though, Wes pushed off as hard as he could with his legs, leaping up several feet into the air and landing on its head! He swiftly raced across its neck and grasped both blades by the handles, pulling them free in one quick move. He continued his dash over the Silver Rathalos' back and jumped down as he reached the base of its tail, ducking into a roll before getting to his feet and leveling the blades at the wyvern.

"This is more like it," Wes grinned, twirling both blades once as the Silver Rathalos turned to face him again. "You're dumber than you look! Can't even catch one human? What a joke!"

The beast roared in response to his taunt, charging at him once again. The hunter dodged to the side as the creature came to a stop, trying to catch him in its jaw. He deftly circled around the attempt before swinging both blades down at its neck, aiming for the spot he had damaged its scales in his last fight with the wyvern. It was the nearest wound he could find, and while it wasn't as large as the ones his teammates had inflicted, he didn't want to spend any time trying to find one nearby him. With that much force behind the blades, as well as the severe damage to the scales there, he might be able to injure it enough in one blow to send it running again, or even kill it outright! What was the point in searching for the alternatives?

But as the blades made contact with the Rathalos' neck, they exploded into thousands of tiny silver fragments! Wes could only let out a startled gasp; how had they broken?! They never showed any signs of damage before! He'd kept them in good condition too! But… they had completely shattered, leaving him with nothing but a pair of handles now!

The blue- and green-eyed hunter barely brought his gaze back up in time to see the Rathalos' lash whipping towards him, slamming into his chest and sending him flying back into a rock wall, breaking through the thinner slab as he impacted it. Wes grunted in pain as he collided with the ground, surrounded by a hail of rocks and debris. His body ached badly, yet he still forced himself up, seeing the flying wyvern charging up a fireball to launch at him. He tried to throw himself out of the way, but the beast fired the projectile before he could away, blasting the ground right next to him and launching him across the area yet again.

He landed in the center of another clearing, surrounded on most sides by large rocks that obscured his view of the beast. His entire body screamed against him as he tried to push himself up, only succeeding in rising to his hands and knees. He couldn't let himself die here! Out in the middle of nowhere, with none of his friends around to help him, completely defenseless and horribly injured… If he was going to fall, it wouldn't be like this. He wouldn't allow himself to fall... Not until he'd achieved his dream of besting his father.

"Well, well, seems you've found yourself in a bit of trouble here, bud."

Wes quickly shot his gaze between a pair of boulder to his right, where three familiar figures stood, fully armored with their weapons sheathed.

"Viper!" he said, his pained voice filled with relief. "Saph! Ammy! What took you guys so long? I could use a hand here!"

"Seriously? That's how you're gonna greet us?" the archer asked, his voice suddenly turning hostile. "Y'know, maybe we don't like being treated like your lapdogs, Wes! I could've gotten killed on almost every hunt we've had together, _because of you!_"

"Why should we stick our necks out for you this time…?" Amethyst said, taking a step forward as the golden-eyed archer moved back. "It's your fault we all got hurt so bad, after all. What have _you_ ever done to show us that you consider _us_ friends?"

"What the… What's gotten into all of you?!" the blue- and green-eyed hunter shouted. "I know I screwed up, and I'm sorry! But is this really the time for this?!"

"As far as I'm concerned, yes," Viper said, shrugging and turning his back on him. "Maybe you should've thought of that before you decided to pull a dumbass stunt like that. We're not going to forget these wounds, and even if you survive, we might not ever forgive you for them." The archer began to walk away, not looking back once as he disappeared in the maze of stones.

"Just because you think of us as friends doesn't mean we feel the same," Amethyst added. "As far as we're concerned, you might as well be the 'friend' none of us really likes. If there's a next time, maybe you can prove why we should think of you as more."

The purple-haired bowgunner took her leave as well, vanishing into the background just as Viper had. Wes could only watch in a stunned silence as another one of his friends turned their backs on him, slowly turning his gaze to Sapphire, who still stood where she had been. The huntress glanced back to where the other two hunters had gone, as if contemplating leaving him as well.

The short sword wielder let out a short giggle before turning back to face him, a wide smile across her lips. "They might not see it, but I do, Wes. You told me how you really feel, after all! I'll stand by you, through thick and thin. You aren't alone."

"…Saph..." Wes watched as the Lagombi-armored huntress walked over to him, offering him a hand up. He eyed her gloved hand disbelievingly, but after a reassuring look from her he took it, groaning a little in pain as he rose to his feet.

"Come on, let's get you somewhere safe so I can patch you up," she said, pulling one of his arms over her shoulders to support his weight. He merely nodded in response, feeling too emotionally strained to talk. Almost all his friends had just left him behind, yet Saph was still willing to help him… Did she really trust him that much? Even after all the mistakes he'd made?

Before they could get far, though, Wes heard a loud roar from above, and the pair turned their gazes skyward in time to see the Silver Rathalos plummeting straight towards them, flames building up in its maw! There wasn't any time for them to react; the wyvern launched a fireball directly at them, blasting the ground directly in front of them and launching both hunters back in a wave of fire. Wes was separated from Sapphire as they were thrown back, slamming into a rock almost thirty feet back and sliding to the ground, too injured to move any further.

_Blast… Where's Saph…? _He turned his blurred and distorted gaze upwards, scanning around hazily for any sign of the blue-haired huntress. It took him a few moments, but eventually his gaze landed on the fallen huntress lying a few feet to his left.

"Saph… Are you… alright…?" he huffed, practically on the verge of unconsciousness. The huntress was deathly still, not budging at all from her position. Wes' eyes widened in horror as a pool of blood formed beneath the fallen huntress' lifeless body, growing larger by the second. "…No…"

He barely registered the Silver Wyvern landing in the clearing, buffeting the area with a burst of wind. It turned to face him as another howl sounded over the boulders, and the Stygian Zinogre leapt over the rock barrier into the clearing. The flying wyvern glanced at the Hell Wolf Wyvern for a moment, and the Zinogre returned the look with a short nod and a growl. Wes could only watch as both beasts turned to face him and slowly sauntered towards him, blood dripping from their maws and the various wounds on their bodies. He tried to back away, but his body just wouldn't obey him anymore. There was nothing he could do but wait for the inevitable end. Both monsters came to a stop in front of him and reared their heads back to move in for the kill. Wes merely closed his eyes tightly, bracing himself for the end…

"Alright, I think that's enough of that. Time for the second part of the show."

Wait… Where had that voice come from? There hadn't been anyone else there! The hunter warily opened his eyes and was shocked to find that there was nothing around him at all. Everything was pitch black, yet he could still see himself when he looked down. Upon trying to move, though, the hunter found that he couldn't move anything more than his head, no matter how hard he tried. He was just suspended in this void of darkness, unable to do anything.

_Where the hell am I now?! What's going on?! _

"Hey, hey, quiet down in there, will ya? Just listen."

There was that voice again! Where was it coming from? Who did it belong to? And what did it mean, listen? There wasn't anything to listen to...

"Come on, I know you're still mad at him, but is it that big of a deal to see him once?"

The voice was different this time. He knew that voice! It sounded like...

"Yeah, it is a big deal, Snow! I almost lost an arm because of him! You know what my bow needs to work? My arms!"

"You're better now though, right? You can't keep fretting over something like this, Viper! There was no way Wes could've known that would happen!"

"Exactly! Because he didn't think! He didn't pay attention! How am I supposed to know that the next time I'm paired up with him, I won't get my leg torn off or something?"

"It's not like he intended for all of you to get hurt, you know. Haven't you talked with Sapphire at all?"

"Yes, I did. Does it matter though? She's practically head over heels for him anyways, so how do I know she isn't feeding me misinformation about him? I don't exactly feel comfortable going out on a hunt with someone while wondering whether the monster isn't the only threat I'll have to deal with!"

"Calm down! Is this seriously how you're going to act in a hospital?"

"Gimme one reason I should. One _damn _good reason. I'm sorry, but until I can actually trust this nut job, I'm not planning on paying any more house calls. You got me in here once, and that's all I agreed to. I don't care how many times you want to see him, but like I said before, it's pointless."

"Viper...! Dammit, he's taking this horribly... Wes, I really hope we actually can trust you..."

The voices faded out after that, leaving a distinct echo throughout the void. Wes could hardly believe his ears. What was that? Snow and Viper? They sounded... different than they had earlier, though Wes couldn't quite understand how. Hadn't Snow and Viper bailed on him? Where were they now? Where was _he? _

"Ah ah, not done yet, my friend. Keep listening."

Before Wes could question the voice, he heard another pair of voices echo into the void.

"You frickin' dumbass... I can only pray you could feel my contempt for you, you know. That was the third damn time you've almost gotten one of my teammates killed, and not just one, but two of them!"

"Ruby, give it a break already! Just let him rest!"

"Why should I, Saph? Even if he can't hear me, I want this bloody fool to understand just how badly he's screwed up this time! He put your life on the line, and for what? To make himself look cool? He should be lucky I don't beat him more than the Rath did!"

"What point is there in yelling insults at someone who can't even respond? You're taking this way too far, Ruby! Just let it go!"

"NO! I'm not going to rest until this creep gets it through that thick skull of his that there's more to the world than himself!"

"You think he doesn't know that? I've told you time and time again that that's not what he's like!"

"Oh, excuse me for not listening to you when all you have to say about him is 'he's so great' or something along those lines! Take off those rose-tinted glasses and look at the truth like the rest of us, Sapphire! Maybe then you'll get it!"

"I...! Ruby, get back here! ...Dammit, why the hell does she always get this way around you, Wes? Whatever her problem is, it goes farther than just this incident... I just wish you could wake up soon... I can't get them to trust you again myself..."

The voices faded out again then, filling the void with a hollow, echoing ring. Wes found the void suddenly explode with a blinding light, and he shut his eyes tight to shield them from the intensity of the sudden flare. After a moment, he slowly opened his eyes, seeing that he was seated in the same meadow he had awoken in, feeling no worse for wear. All the injuries he had sustained were gone, and the beasts were nowhere in sight.

But there was something different this time. Wes' gaze landed on a figure standing about twenty feet in front of him, wearing a black outfit that bore great resemblance to his own. The figure had his back turned to the hunter, with his arms crossed as he gazed off into the distance.

"Beautiful land, isn't it?"

"Who… Who are you?" Wes asked, pushing himself up slowly, glancing around for the creatures that had assaulted him before. He was still completely unarmed, and he didn't want to risk being attacked again. The voices of his friends had jarred him immensely as well, and then there was the matter of this black-robed figure before him…

The man chuckled lightly, turning his head to the side at the sound of Wes' voice. The blue- and green-eyed hunter could only see the lower half of the man's face, though he felt as though the man could see him just fine.

"Straight to the point, huh? Well, I suppose I already knew that. So, do you think I got the message across to you well enough? With a skull as thick as yours, I thought I'd have to be especially harsh," the black-robed figure stated. His voice sounded extremely familiar, like Wes had heard it his entire life…

"What do you mean? What message? I don't even know who the hell you are!"

"That's because you _don't _know me. At least, not yet… But that's because you don't really know yourself, Wes."

"…What the hell does that mean? And how do you know my name?" the hunter inquired, extremely on edge. This guy wasn't making any sense! What did he mean by Wes not knowing himself yet?

"Well, I think I'll answer that second question to start," the man stated, turning around to face him. "I know your name because _I am you_."

Wes' breath caught in his throat as the man pulled his hood back, revealing a visage exactly the same as his own. He had the same features, right down to his mismatched eye color and scars! Even his voice was the same! The only difference was that, while Wes had a full head of golden blonde hair, his… _twin _had dull silver hair that lacked the same shine as his own.

"What the hell…?!" the hunter said, taken completely off guard by the silver-haired man's appearance. The doppelganger cracked a smile at his expression, crossing his arms in front of himself. "Who-?! How are you-?! What?!"

"I guess it's no surprise that you're acting like a complete dunce right now, given how unexpected all of this was for you. So, what'd it feel like to be abandoned by everyone you care about? Oh, wait, Sapphire stayed with you… So, I guess I should say be abandoned by most everyone, while the only other person who was willing to stick with you got killed."

"What did you just say…?" Wes growled, clenching his fist angrily. Was this… fake _taunting _him about what happened?

"You know full well what I said, Wes. And I'm pretty sure you know what they said too. How does it feel to be the reason you're all alone?"

Wes didn't know what hit him then, but next thing he knew, he was charging headlong at the black robed man, intent on beating him senseless. The man merely let out a short laugh as Wes neared, the blonde-haired hunter drawing his arm back to throw a punch straight into his doppelganger's face. Before his fist connected, though, the man caught his wrist and twisted the hunter's arm behind him. The blue- and green-eyed hunter let out a surprised grunt as the black-robed man made his leg buckle with a kick and threw him into the ground with enough force to kick up grass and dirt, easily besting him in one quick move.

"Makes you angry, doesn't it? Don't worry, it makes me just as furious," the silver-haired man said, holding his hand out for Wes to take. The hunter groaned as he pushed himself up, and while he was initially wary about taking the man's hand, he sensed the black-robed man wasn't looking for a fight. Wes took his hand after another moment's consideration, and the doppelganger helped him up to his feet easily. "See? Not as hard to accept a helping hand as you thought."

"…Who are you?" Wes asked, taking a step back to put a little distance between himself and the man. "Pa never told me any stories about a long-lost twin brother."

"Hah, like in _Dystopian Paradise_? Great story, but I think the plot twist near the end was a little obvious. But we can talk books later. For the sake of simplicity, just call me Silver."

"Okay then, Silver, explain exactly what you're doing here then. And why do you look like me?"

"That's a tough one, actually. I guess the best way I can describe myself is the avatar of your mind. A 'perfect image' of yourself, if you will."

"...Okay, I'm sorry, but _what?!"_

"Is it that hard to believe?"

"Well, kinda, yeah!" Wes said, throwing his arms up. "I wake up in a field in the middle of nowhere, get chased by monsters, told off by all my friends, and get the crap beaten out of me before waking up in the same damn field talking to my... _myself__? _Doesn't that pretty much reek of fiction?! And by the way, when I think 'perfect me' I don't envision me having a fifty year-old's hair color!"

"No, when you think 'perfect Wes' you think of this," the man stated, snapping his fingers. In an instant, his entire appearance changed: his hair returned to its rich gold sheen, and his black robes were transformed into a regal suit of golden armor, with a long, flowing red cape attached to the back. On his head rested a crown inlaid with many sorts of rare gems, a dazzling headpiece in anyone's eyes. "You think of the 'perfect Wes' as a king, a figure of fame, someone people can't help but look up to.

"Except that isn't the real you." At once, Silver's attire swapped back to its old form, his hair returning to its original greyish-silver sheen. "It's too gaudy, too flashy, too... _unrealistic. _No, the real Wes doesn't have any need for any of that."

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Wes shouted, taking a step forward. "I don't see myself as a king! I like to have a little flare when I hunt, sure, but isn't that taking things a bit far?"

"You tell me, is that honestly the truth? Wait, I'll answer for you: no, it isn't. When it comes to you, you've always made yourself king. Don't deny it, you've always taken the forefront of the jobs, throwing yourself into every scenario possible with the intent to do well, and look good in the process. But... it wasn't to save others the hassle, was it? No, it was solely for yourself.

"Well, maybe that is a bit harsh to say... You do care for your friends, after all, and you wouldn't hesitate to stick your neck out for them. So... maybe it was more like eighty percent you, and twenty percent them. Even split, right?"

"...Where are you going with this?" Wes asked irately. "You've barely given me a single answer, and all you're doing is raising more questions!"

Silver let out a short sigh, taking a few steps to the side before turning back to face him. "If it'll get you to listen better, then okay. Here's what you want to know. If you hadn't guessed already, we're in your head. You are currently lying in a hospital bed in Loc Lac trying not to die. As for how you got here… Well, I was trying to pull you in for a while now, but it isn't exactly an easy task trying to influence a hardhead like you. Fortunately, you took a bit of a bump to the head during the fight against that Rathalos a few weeks back, and that gave me the edge I needed to drag you in."

"Wait… A few weeks? I haven't even been in here for a day!"

"Time works strangely here," Silver replied simply. "Which is why I tried to get the message across to you with the monsters and your friends. You've been heading down the wrong path for a pretty long while, y'know."

"What do you mean? Sure, I might've made some poor choices, I'll admit, but I'm trying to accomplish my dream! Can you blame me for that?"

"Yeah, it's pretty much my job. Tell me, what is your dream, anyways? To overcome your father and become the greatest hunter in history, right?"

"Well… Yeah."

"Okay, then what comes next?"

"…What do you mean?"

Silver let out another sigh, leaning back as he brought his hands behind his head. Instead of falling over, though, an invisible force seemed to catch him, and he floated above the ground like he was lying in an invisible hammock. "What I mean is, say you do reach your goal. You beat York in a fight, you slay a monster he couldn't, something along those lines. What then? What'll you do when- sorry, if- you gain that title? Where will you go? What'll come next?"

"I… never thought about that…" Wes mumbled, raising an eyebrow at Silver's seemingly telepathic ability, but being more confused by his inquiries. "I guess I'd just keep hunting, maybe settle down after a while, have a couple kids or something…"

"And then those little squirts'll come along saying how they want to become better than you, and they'll achieve their goals, and their kids will keep this cycle going on until the end of time," the silver-haired man replied sarcastically. "You really have no clue at all, Wes. What'll you do if you can't beat York? What other dreams do you have, apart from becoming 'the greatest hunter'?"

"…I don't have one…" Wes mumbled dryly, looking away from the black-robed man. "I guess I never figured I _would _fail…"

"Which is all well and good. There's nothing really wrong with striving to accomplish a goal and never giving up on it, but there's a problem with how you've been going about trying to achieve said goal." Silver suddenly darted around into Wes' view, this time appearing to sit in some kind of invisible reclining chair.

"And what do you mean by that?"

"Hah, you really love asking me those 'what-do-you-means', don'tcha? What I mean, Mr. Golden Boy, is that you've been ignoring your friends this entire time, not giving half a damn when they get hurt! Not just now, either, but this has been going on since you were a kid! You've been so caught up in this single-minded goal of yours that you've been trampling over everyone else like stepping stones, at the very least leaving your friends in the dust."

"When I was a kid? What the hell are you talking about, I had plenty of friends, and I cared about them!"

"Correction, you had... three real friends, but only two count since that Sabrina girl moved out before you were seven. And the other two lived in Loc Lac for most of their lives, so you never really got to see them much. Everyone else only treated you nice since you were the teacher's kid. Ever think of that?"

"That… That's not true!"

"Isn't it though? Here, lemme show you."

The silver-haired man snapped his fingers, and Wes saw a hazy cloud appear in front of him, which soon lit up like some kind of display. He could see what looked to be the old training school, before his father had it renovated, and a class of young teenagers within training with a variety of weapons. He saw himself, albeit much younger and significantly shorter, training using one of the practice dummies along with a number of other students.

"Hey, guys, check this out!" his younger incarnation said to the others, his higher pitched voice causing Wes to cringe.

_Did I really sound like that? Damn, I'm annoying myself even…_

A couple of the other teens turned their gazes towards him, one noticeably rolling his eyes. The younger Wes performed an elaborate multi-hit combo on the target with his practice swords, slashing it three times and spinning around once to strike it with both blades, before driving the tips of both into the center of the dummy. It was a completely impractical move to use against a monster, being far too flashy and extravagant to have any practicality, though it did look rather appealing.

"See that? Pretty cool, huh?" his younger self asked, pulling the blades free and glancing between the two hunters-in-training beside him.

"Yeah, it was_ awesome_," the first said, his voice rife with sarcasm. "Now let us get back to our training, so maybe _we_ can be as good as _you_ someday."

"Sick moves," the other said, his tone just as dry as the others. "Keep practicing it, though. Maybe it'll come in handy one day, and I'm _sure _you wouldn't want to mess it up then."

"Good point!" young Wes stated, completely oblivious to their wry tones. He immediately dove back to work on his training, though the image faded out before he could see any more.

"…Okay, so there were two assholes in my class, so what?" Wes asked, glancing up at Silver. "I had plenty more friends than that-"

"Keep watching, buddy," the man replied, snapping his fingers again and causing another image to appear in the cloud. It was about a year later, and he had hit a noticeable growth spurt, being half a foot taller than before. The younger Wes was walking out of the training school, drenched with sweat from the day's efforts. As he was departing, a group of five students ran out past him, the last of which bumped his arm slightly as he passed.

"Hey, where are you guys heading?" his past self asked curiously. The group came to a stop and glanced back at him, and while the other four had irritated expressions, the fifth one came forward, looking far friendlier than the others.

"We were gonna sneak out into the woods and gather a few materials for a short camp out. No adults allowed, just us and whatever weapons we take with us. We did it last week too, and it was a ton of fun. Wanna come along?"

"Seriously? Wow, I'd love to! …But, I'm actually pretty tired after today, and I was hoping to read a bit more of my book… Maybe some other time, alright?"

"If you say so," the boy stated, turning around and rejoining the other four, who appeared to breathe sighs of relief, though very subtly. "But don't you go and tell anyone!"

"I won't!" he called after them as they ran off, disappearing from sight as the image faded out once again.

"So, you irritated all your classmates on a regular basis, and then when one of them tries to be nice to him, you shut them out," Silver said, having turned himself onto his side like he was lying on a couch. "But wait, there's more! Recent one this time too."

Another image came into view then, and Wes gazed into it with more reluctance than he had before. He saw himself, only a few months before, fighting an exceptionally large Barroth in the Sandy Plains along with Front, Snow, and Viper. They had been steadily wearing the brute wyvern down, and it was on its last legs now.

"I've got a shot!" Viper called, drawing his bowstring back as far as it would go. He was aiming for the creature's heart, its head raised after a missed charge aimed at Frost. Before he fired the arrow, though, Wes darted in front of him, not having seemed to have heard the archer's call. The golden-eyed hunter let out a short yelp and stumbled back, launching his arrow in the wrong direction and only striking the Barroth's leg.

Wes charged straight towards the beast as it brought its head down towards the masked long sword wielder, who had just sheathed his sword in preparation for a quickdraw. The dual sword user's path lead directly between them, and he made a diving roll between them, a wild gleam in his eyes. Frost made a surprised grunt and broke his stance, leaping away to avoid slicing the hunter with the quickdraw and the brute's fast approaching head crest.

The blue- and green-eyed hunter returned to his feet, ducking as the creature swung its muddy tail at him and Snow. She deflected the blow with her Barioth shield and slid beneath the appendage in a graceful, swift motion, joining Wes in his rush at the beast's side. Before they reached it, though, the Barroth lashed out at them with its foot.

Snow reacted quickly, bringing her shield up as fast as she could and succeeding in blocking the strike, though the awkward movement in which she did so resulted in her getting knocked back several feet. Wes leapt onto the creature's leg, though, capitalizing on the beat's strike and kicking off into the air above its back. With a flourished sidespin, he drew one of his swords and caught the beast's crest with his other hand, swinging down and slicing clean through its jugular.

The hunter released his grip as the beast's head cocked to the side, throwing himself into the air and flipping twice before landing in a crouch, sheathing his sword on his back as the brute wyvern collapsed behind him, dead.

"Now that is how you kill a monster!" his past self proclaimed, pushing himself up and grinning widely as he turned back to survey the newly deceased creature. The others joined him a moment later, though from Wes' outside perspective he could see Viper grumbling something while giving him a sour look, and he could see Snow clutching her shield arm in pain.

_Viper did say something about me blocking a perfectly good shot, and Snow had to go to the hospital for her arm... _The image faded out then, and Wes glanced up at his silver-haired doppelganger. The man had his eyebrow raised at him, and a condescending expression.

"Need I go on, or do you get the picture?"

"…I get it…" Wes mumbled, glancing towards the ground. He really didn't have as many friends as he thought, and he did steal the spotlight away from the others more often than he'd like to admit. He'd always just assumed that if he viewed others as friends, then they would do the same…

"None of your old peers really considered you a true friend, y'know. And sure, you might have gone farther than they did after working your ass off during training, but think about everything you lost in doing so. You really didn't interact with any women, you left Moga with a total of two friends, and you botched up the new friendships you made early on during your tenure with the Master Corps by acting the same way as you did when you were twelve. Basically, you've been ignoring your friends and pushing them back to the sidelines so that you can hog the spotlight."

"Okay, so maybe I did screw up, but that doesn't mean that I didn't get some benefits out of it!" the hunter argued, taking a step back and looking up at Silver. "I'm a part of the most prestigious hunting group in the country, and I'm more than capable of taking down most monsters on my own!"

"So, having next to no real friends was worth it? Skills and weapons will only take you so far, Wes," the man stated, returning to his hammock position. "That's what I was trying to show you earlier. You ran into our good buddy, the Stygian Zinogre, while completely unarmed and with nothing in your item pouch. No amount of skill would get you out of a situation like that. What if you lost your weapons and items during a hunt, and you couldn't get them back?"

"I'd… I'd improvise," Wes retorted, though he knew it was a weak answer. Silver knew as well, because another smirk crossed the man's face.

"You'd improvise. In a grassy field with nothing around for miles, you'd _improvise."_

"Alright, fine, I'd be screwed and have to run. There, happy?"

"Quite. But on the topic of weapons, those'll only take you so far too. Remember how your swords shattered into thousands of tiny pieces when you were fighting that Rathalos? Yeah, those won't hold out forever, my ignorant friend. So, you've learned that your skills and equipment will only take you so far. Now, answer me this, when you don't have either available, what do you have?"

"My fists," Wes replied simply. "And my feet. I can run, I can climb, I can fight."

"…I'm you, and I can't believe you just said that…" Silver sighed, rubbing his temples irately. "You can't punch out monsters ten times your size!"

"Okay, then what do I have if my weapons and equipment won't cut it?"

"Your friends, dumbass! The one thing you needed during your fights against the Zinogre and the Rathalos earlier!"

"But… they all abandoned me too! How am I supposed to have them back me up if they refuse to help me?!"

"They haven't abandoned you yet, Wes, though it's a miracle they didn't up and leave you back in that field by the tower," Silver replied. "You did a pretty good job screwing up most of your friendships in Loc Lac, after all. Those voices you heard in the void? That was them. Snow still trusts you, but you're on really thin ice with her, pun intended. Viper's about ready to slit your throat, and most of the Gem Sisters are pretty much ready to do the same after you almost got Amethyst and Sapphire killed. For one reason or another, Saph still trusts you completely, but even that trust probably has its limits. Balestra is probably pretty miffed about you botching the mission, and, as I'm sure you'll love to hear, the whole Corps has heard about this incident. Congratulations, you've achieved infamy!"

Wes was silent for a while then, contemplating what his actions really had caused. He had almost gotten the group killed, and while they did survive, they were all angry with him or didn't trust him. Not only that, but everyone at the Corps knew it. But… Silver had said his friends hadn't fully abandoned him yet, which meant there was still a chance he could fix this!

"…Alright, you're right. I screwed up worse than I thought. But I can still make things right again."

"Yeah, you can," Silver replied, descending back to the ground and walking up to the hunter.

"Just tell me what I gotta do then, and I'll do it."

"…Excuse me? Wes, there's something you haven't realized; when I said 'I'm you', I meant I'm _you. _I might know what you have to do, but that doesn't mean I know the whole process of how to fix your problems. I only know what you know; you just chose to ignore these details until now."

"Then what can I do?!" the hunter shouted in frustration, stepping away from his black-robed doppelganger. "I don't know how to fix this! How can I show them that they can trust me after I almost led them to their deaths?! What's stopping them from up and leaving me when I need them the most?!"

"You remember reading _The New Age? _The protagonist there had a similar situation to you," Silver pointed out. "He got out of it by coming back and helping them when they needed him most. He protected them, he sacrificed for them, he gave everything he could to make sure they were safe in the end. And they forgave him for his wrongdoings."

"_HE DIED."_

"Yeah, I guess that is a bit of a downer, but at least he got his respectable name back, right? Look, if you don't focus on the bigger picture, everyone who's beside you will end up turning back or dying on the way there. And even if you do manage to make it to the top, you'll be all alone. Would that be worth it?"

"…No, it wouldn't be…" Wes sighed, looking around slowly. His gaze shifted to the clouded distance, and the forest he had ran to while being pursued by the Stygian Zinogre appeared. Turning his gaze further, he saw the mountains the Rathalos had attacked him at. He continued turning his view, though he couldn't make out much of the other directions. "What's… what's the point of all the scenery? Isn't a field enough?"

"Ah, finally decided to ask about that, huh? Truth be told, I only have a slight guess myself, but that's because I only know as much as you do. You remember that there were three events in the recent past that really… affected you, right?"

"Well… There was Jeremy's death, the time in the forest ruins when I killed the bandit leader, and then there was the one with the Silver Rathalos."

"Exactly. While there may not be an 'equivalent' for the Tundra in here, there is one for the forest, where you ran into Frost and Snow. Then, there's also a representation of the Misty Peaks, which are the high mountains you found Viper, Amethyst, and Sapphire in."

"Then, that would mean… the other directions symbolize other areas events will take place?"

"My thoughts exactly. There's a pattern here, see; starting with the forest in the west, you moved to the mountains in the north. You're moving clockwise, so whatever lies in the east should logically come next."

"How exactly do I know this?" Wes asked, though Silver simply shrugged in response.

"Your guess is as good as mine. The world works in pretty weird ways, after all."

"Guess that's about as good as I'll get… But what does the field represent then?"

"The field? That's a good question, actually. It could represent the beginning, or the end. Where you start, or where you finish. This is plain, flat ground, after all. Nothing to obstruct you for miles. You start life with little to nothing, and many finish with mostly the same. But this could also be the making of a kingdom, y'know. Build a castle right in the middle of it all, a monument to the achievements in your life. Something that'll stand for a thousand years, maybe even more. Or… well, it could just be a field, but I like the kingdom idea better."

"I do too," Wes replied, thinking the black-robed man's statement over.

"Well, that'd make sense, considering this technically is your thoughts. Remember the king outfit?"

"Don't remind me. But... why am I not, y'know, realizing this? Why are you talking to me? Why do you even exist?"

"That's a harsh way to ask it, don't you think? It's like I said, I only know what you know, but I'm bringing to light everything that you ignored. These are things you blocked out without even realizing it, and, given my occupation as your mental avatar, I can't exactly let you go without things that'll keep you alive and well. Not to sound selfish, but if you go, then I go too."

"Okay then, I have one more question about you," the hunter asked, looking over at his doppelganger. "You kept saying the 'real Wes' before, as if I wasn't myself. Does that mean that you're the real me?"

"Depends. If that's what you truly believe, then yes. But since you don't truly believe it, I'm not the 'real' you. If anything, I'm an imperfect copy. Don't get me wrong, you are the real Wes, but you're not really 'you' yet."

"What does that mean?"

"Ah, and there's that question again... Look, if I knew how to explain it better, I would, but that's it. This is an answer you have to discover on your own. Maybe this is a part of your 'bigger picture', hmm?"

"Alright, alright... How long am I going to be stuck like this? I know I got hurt bad during the fight with the Rathalos, but… how long will I be traveling around Lala Land before I wake up?"

"Hey, don't make fun of this place. It's your head, after all. But, to answer your question, you'll probably be here for another week or so, give or take a few days."

"Another _week?! _How am I going to pass the time, keep talking to myself?! I'm going to wake up from this with a split personality or something!"

"Easy, easy! I meant another week in your time! In here, things are a bit different. Y'know how a few years back those scientists said that dreams only last a few minutes? Well, they were kinda onto something. You won't have to pass the time here, because it'll pass you instead! Chances are you just have another… five minutes or so in dream time."

"And how would I know _that?"_

"Eh, you got me there. The details are kinda fuzzy. It's better than spending a full week talking about the same things over and over again, right?"

"Good point…"

"Look, since we're running low on time here, I'm just going to give you one last piece of advice," Silver said. "Remember how Sapphire said that you were starting to see a bigger picture? Well, she was more right than you know. It's up to you to find out what that bigger picture is."

"What if I can't find out what that is though?" the blue- and green-eyed hunter asked. "You're basically saying that I need to discover something, somehow. Any more specifics, Silver?"

"Hey, remember the whole 'I only know what you know' thing?"

"Yeah, yeah… Doesn't mean I don't want to find out though."

"Well, that's step one. You're on the path now, Wes, so keep following it until you find what you're looking for. But do me a favor, would ya?"

"What is it?"

"Try to listen to me a little more. Your heart is right in some cases, but I can get you out of worse situations before you get too far into them. Plus… well, you're probably going to need some help dealing with the others."

"…I think that makes sense."

"Of course you do, you're the one who thought it."

Before Wes could reply, though, he found a bright blue light cast a bright glow on the area, a beam of which seemed to fall around him. He took a step back in surprise, but found he couldn't exit the tunnel of light when his back pressed up against one of the rays like a glass wall.

"Oh, I guess that's it for today then," Silver remarked, glancing around at the lights, but seeming more disappointed than amazed. In fact, he almost looked... sad. "...Well, in any case, try not to forget this. I really hate to repeat myself, after all. Maybe I'll see you around sometime, and we can play cards or something."

"What does that even mean?!"

"It means that even I get lonely, Wes. And so do you. Have a good one."

Wes remained in a stunned silence as he slowly felt himself get lifted from the ground and ascend towards the sky. As he looked down at the field below, he realized just how empty the massive expanse of land was. Miles upon miles of grasslands, but only one man to occupy them. It was the epitome of loneliness. Wes' vision soon faded out in a flash of bright blue, then everything went dark.

* * *

Wes grunted in pain as he regained consciousness, pushing himself up and shaking his head to clear the dull throbbing he felt in his brain. Everything hurt him, be it his arms, his legs, or his torso, though he felt like it had been much worse than it was now. Blinking his eyes open, he adjusted his view to the brighter lights illuminating the room, recognizing it as the Master Corps medical building.

_Guess Silver was right, _Wes thought, throwing the sheets off of himself. He gasped in shock upon seeing his upper body completely wrapped in bandages, but he also noted that they looked fresh, meaning someone must've changed them recently, at the very least. As he glanced around the room, Wes' eyes landed on a letter resting on the table beside his bed, addressed to him. The hunter curiously picked it up and unsealed it, beginning to read over the note.

_Wes,_

_I only heard about what happened to you recently, but your mother and I came to Loc Lac as soon as we could. There was a bit of excitement in Moga that same night that we had to talk to the Guild here about, but we've been checking up on you every day whenever we had the chance. _

_Now, knowing you, I'm sure you're probably going to be worried sick about having lost your swords, but you don't have to worry. Your uncle was sent out on a quest to the same area, and he made sure to bring them back for you. Be sure to thank him next time you get the chance. You know how he can be with his pride, after all._

_Cass and Ilia were here too, just so you know. They wanted to let you know that they hoped you got better soon. Their wording was a little different, but needless to say, that's what their intent was. Cass did say that you shouldn't try to be such a 'stupid foolish idiot', since he still wants to go on a hunt with you sometime, but hey, it's the thought that counts, right?_

_In any case, your mother and I hope that you wake up soon, son. You had her worried sick for a while there, but Connor told us you'd be just fine, and I know better than to ignore him when it comes to medicine. We'll have to be returning to Moga tomorrow, but I just want you to know that even when everything seems like it's going wrong, you've still got a family to come back to. _

_Write back to us as soon as you can, but don't push yourself back into hunting again until you're one-hundred percent ready to. We're looking forward to hearing from you again, and get well soon, Wes!_

_Pa and Ma_

_Cass_

_Ilia_

_Uncle Hugh and Aunt Karah_

_Uncle Zephyr and Aunt Kylie_

_Grandma and Grandpa Benevolus_

Wes found a few tears welling up in his eyes after reading all the names at the bottom, though he wiped his eyes quickly before rereading the letter with a widening smile.

_Well, at least there are still some people who are looking out for me, _he thought, folding the letter and setting it down. _But I've gotta fix things with the others before I can give myself a break. They deserve more than just an apology, and I need to find out what I can do…_

With a short grunt, he pulled his legs out from under the covers; fortunately, they were covered by a pair of light blue pants, though he could feel bandages covering his thighs and calves beneath. He got to his feet unsteadily, taking a moment to make sure he was balanced. All the time he had spent unconscious had taken its toll on his body, and while he knew his injuries had a part in it, he felt extremely weak physically.

Still, after a few uneasy steps, he was able to find his balance, and he made his way to the window, gazing out at the large space that made up the Master Corps' grounds. Many hunters were in the training yard, and one of the airships was arriving from a recently completed assignment.

_Business as usual, huh… I get the feeling that nothing will be the same for me after today, though._

The blue- and green-eyed hunter let out a short sigh before walking over to the table next to his bed and pulling on a white shirt that laid upon it. As he did so, he heard the door behind him open, and the hunter quickly turned around to see who had entered the room.

"Ah, Mr. Wes, I was not expecting to see you awake so soon," Doctor Connor stated, his expression one of genuine surprise. "I believed you would be incapacitated for another few days, but once again you have disproven me. How do you feel?"

"I'm alright, still hurting a bit, but I'll manage," he replied. "What about the others? How were they?"

"All three of your companions recovered just fine. Ms. Sapphire was discharged first, only a day after the assignment. Mr. Viper followed after a few weeks, though his arm required a bit of surgery to heal. Ms. Amethyst was released about a month ago, and she is no worse for wear either. I believe all three have been back to work for many weeks now, though this is the first time I have seen you stir at all. In case you were wondering, you have been unconscious for-"

"Three months," Wes said quickly, hardly realizing he had even spoken. Connor gave him another surprised look before inquiring as to how the hunter found that information out. "Lucky guess, I suppose."

"I… see… In any case, I would like to evaluate your physical condition if you intend to depart today, though you are not to take part in any assignments for another week, two at the most. I will have a notice sent to Sir Balestra as well."

"Yeah, I'd like to get going as soon as I can. There's some things I need to take care of…"

* * *

**_Author Notes: Please review! Well, this one was definitely heavy on the exposition, wasn't it? This one probably had one of the longest editing times out of any chapter to date. It was quite fun to write, though. I'm guessing many of you thought Wes suddenly had a evil twin when Silver first appeared, huh? In any case, this brings a conclusion to the second story arc of The Master Corps. And for those of you who were wondering, the title of arc two is 'Destruction'. The basis for this title came from the 'destruction' of the last arc's 'foundation' of character ideas, motivations, and thoughts. Things are a-changin'!_**

**_On that same note, I have some news that many of you will probably dislike, though that remains to be seen. For the next few weeks I'm going to be taking a temporary hiatus from writing TMC, meaning in another two weeks there won't be a chapter posted for this story. I don't plan on it being too large of a break, mind you, and I'm not going to be doing zero writing either. In fact, it's just the opposite. The point of this hiatus is to help clear another story idea out of my head! I'm going ahead with writing a separate Monster Hunter fic that takes place in the same universe as my other stories, but with a completely new cast of characters and at a separate timeframe. I'll begin posting chapters for that in a couple weeks, then release them on a weekly basis, since they are far shorter than TMC's chapters. So, I apologize for the slight delay in Wes' adventures, but rest assured that I have many chapters planned out for TMC already, and it will resume after this new short tale is done and over with. _**

**_I would also like to make a shout out to KingStonecold, another aspiring writer and a close reader of my stories! He's just beginning his Monster Hunter fic, The Dragon God, and I'm certain he'd appreciate you all taking a look at it. And for those of you who are fans of the Terraria series, he also has a few fics centered on that, though I myself am admittedly ignorant on the subject. I believe that covers everything, so until next time, my faithful readers!_**

**_Playing: _**_MH3U, Super Smash Bros. For 3DS (This game is indescribably fun)_

**_Watching: _**_RWBY Volume 2, Playthroughs of Hyrule Warriors (I want this game so much, but circumstances would prevent me from playing it)_

**_Listening to: _**_Avenged Sevenfold, Rise Against, The Offspring_

**_Reading:_**_ The Lost Civilization: DLC by dashboardgecko_


	18. Reawakening

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 18- Reawakening

"…what I want to know is how this thing managed to completely escape notice by all the teams out there!"

"Mr. York, getting worked up over a technicality is rather out of character for you. The prints it left were in a different area from Rex's, almost four miles away. The research team is only so large. It is fortunate we had any warning at all."

"The night it attacked the island and killed three hunters? I wouldn't describe that as a 'warning', Balestra. If the situation had been a little different, it would have surfaced on the other side of the island, directly into the village. Can you imagine how much damage a beast that size could have done?"

"You know that the village has aquatic defenses. After reports of Lagiacrus and Plesioth attacks on shore side settlements, barriers were created specifically to keep leviathans away. They have proven most effective, based on the data from other villages."

"This thing could jump a solid fifty feet into the air, and it had giant heated blades for fins. If it couldn't get past an electric fence, I'd be amazed. Point is, there are three dead hunters, a fourth missing an arm, and a lot of questions that need to be answered."

"I can think of a rather important one already: exactly how did you manage to fell that creature almost single-handedly? You say an entire group of hunters was no match for it, yet you were able to sever one of its fins completely, cut its tail off, and finish the beast off with no assistance. That certainly piques my interest."

"Alright, that's about enough from both of you," Calistro interjected, drawing the attention of both men. "York, even if Balestra had received word sooner, there was no way of knowing that Gear Ray would have surfaced at Moga. It was purely coincidence that the Corps received word of its existence as it surfaced, and he did send a team out immediately. Balestra, York has been in this business for as long as you've been working on establishing the Corps in the first place. Hunters tend to pick up on some extraordinary skills during that time, but they keep their techniques a secret as well. No need to press for information."

"Logic still dictates that we respond to the public's desire for a story about the creature," a fourth voice stated, belonging to the Head Councilor Pluvine. "How can we possibly describe it being felled by a single man, no matter his skill? Such a tale would border on fantasy."

"Say the other hunters played a bigger, more valiant part in the hunt," Calistro replied. "They died as heroes after inflicting wounds on the beast, and York was the one who finished it off. Simple as that. They'd have preferred it that way, at least, and it wouldn't exactly raise eyebrows with any civilians."

"An appropriate assumption…" Balestra mused, resting his elbows on the oak wood desk before him and folding his fingers together. "Though I will have to answer for this as well, considering I sent a team out in the middle of the night to respond to this threat. Which, may I add, ended up being completely unnecessary. Effectively, we wasted time and resources to see a giant carcass."

"At least you were prudent about it," York said dryly, shifting in his seat a little. "Listen, all I need to know is that these things will get handled better in the future. If I hadn't been there, chances are the island would be in a much worse state than it is now. Area five in particular has had extensive damage to its rock walls, some of which damaged the old island ruins, and several Jaggi nests were upset by the collapse. There's essentially a turf war going on now between the packs now. The entire ecosystem is unstable! This could be an event on a scale similar to the Ceadeus incident all those years ago. And this isn't even taking into account the fear the villagers have after hearing about a giant unidentified monster appearing within two miles from their homes."

"I wouldn't quite put it on that level, but ya do have a point there," the Wyvernian stated. "We were getting' repots of Uragaan and Diablos appearin' out there somehow after all o' that… Luckily, that Kylie was able to drive th' beast off, but the effects are still felt today even."

"A reasonable method to handle this situation would be to double check the areas outside the hazard zone for more signs of any Gear monsters and warn the surrounding villages that these beasts are a severe threat," Pluvine proposed.

"I find that to be an efficient method, but reasonable is perhaps an understatement," Balestra said bluntly. "The Corps has already had to respond to several crises involving other Rexes attacking settlements and disturbing ecosystems well beyond the hazard zone. How they are traveling so quickly, we do not know, but it is imperative that a more… widespread course of action is taken to account for this. The Corps alone cannot handle a predicament of this scale."

"So, what? Make Rexes available targets to ordinary hunters?" the one-eyed hunter asked. "Need I remind you that these things can spit acid with enough toxicity to melt steel?"

"You speak as though you've fought one yourself."

"My son has, considering he was a member of that arena spectacle you decided to host. He informed me of its capabilities in his letters."

"Ah, yes, young Mr. Wes. He's in a rather delicate situation himself at the moment, considering the blunder he made on his last assignment…"

"What did you just-?!"

"Enough!" Calistro again interjected. "This meeting has been difficult enough to host as is, and I don't need the two o' you t' be at each other's throats! Balestra, the Guild will take you and Councilor Pluvine's suggestions into account as we decide on the matter. You have an organization to run, so get back to it."

"Indeed, I will do just that. I bid you all good day."

York eyed the crimson-eyed man as he got up and strode out of the room, his hands folded formally behind his back. As soon as he was out of sight, the hunter let out a short sigh.

"What a prick…"

"Balestra can be difficult, but he is driven," the short wyverian replied. "Running the Corps is certainly not an easy task; I've seen his workload, and it's almost comparable to mine."

"Still, he seems to be a little too intrusive on some matters. I'd never even heard of this guy until the Master Corps popped into existence. You haven't told him about the B.D. incident, have you?"

"No, nothing outside of what the general public knows," Pluvine assured. "He knows more about the jailbreak that occurred a few months later than the incident itself."

"Good, it'd be best we keep it that way. Something about him just rubs me the wrong way…"

"That's just a trait of his. Ya get used to it after six dozen meetings with th' guy. In any case, we won't keep ya here any longer, York. Ya have the Guild's gratitude fer safeguarding Moga Village th' way ya did, and we'll be sure t' have some compensation sent to ya as well."

"Very well. If you need me for anything else, I'm going to be in Loc Lac for a few more days. Just send a messenger to Hugh's place."

"Urk… that mansion, you mean? How he managed to amass the funds necessary for that behemoth of a living space, I will never know. But yes, we'll let ya know if we require ya fer anythin' else. An' York? I hope yer kid gets better. I heard about what happened from his teammates, and while he did screw up royally, I don't think he had any bad intentions. Kids will be kids, after all."

"…Yeah, thanks."

* * *

It had been nearly three months since then, and the Corps Head still found his mind straying back to that discussion of the Gear Ray incident from time to time. While it had been intended for Calistro, Pluvine, and York's ears only, Balestra had heard the end of that exchange from outside the room they had met in.

_B.D. incident, hmm? They take me for a fool… I've had that knowledge for many years now. Mr. Adler's concern for his son seemed to make him act rashly, so perhaps if he becomes an obstacle in the future, I can use the boy's current standing in the Corps to my advantage._

The crimson-eyed man turned around in his desk and pushed himself up, striding towards the window facing the city proper once again.

_It is good that a suitable situation has arisen for me to test his resolve, though… By Doctor Teza's estimation, he should be awakening soon. This next assignment I'm planning for you will be unlike anything you have ever done before, Mr. Wes… Will you persevere, or will you falter? I must say, I am actually rather eager to find out myself…_

* * *

Wes sighed in relief as he reached the door to his room, feeling as if a massive pressure had just been lifted off of his shoulders. After being discharged from the medical building, the dual blade wielder had made it a point to try and avoid coming into contact with many of the hunters around the Corps, yet those who did see him almost instantly knew who he was and what he had done. He had felt their gazes drill into the back of his head as he passed, heard the low mutters about him, seen them go off to tell their friends that he had finally awoken.

Now, though, he was past that ordeal, at least for the time being. There was no doubt that he'd have to speak with Balestra soon regarding his past assignment, but he would also have to face the others, something which sent shivers down his spine just thinking about it. The memory of his 'trip' through his mind while unconscious was still fresh, though he still couldn't figure out a way he could make everything right again. There was little he could do at that moment, though, considering he hadn't seen a single one of his closer friends on his way back to his floor. He'd passed by each one of his friends' rooms on the way up to his room, and he had considered knocking to let them know he was awake and well, but he felt a gut-wrenching fear every time he faced one of their rooms. The very thought of them even seeing him almost made him sick.

_Guess this must be what it feels like to have failed everyone… _

The hunter stepped into his room and gently shut the door behind him, finally feeling as if he had reached a safe haven to hide away for a little bit. His first order of business was taking a shower; after three months of lying in a hospital bed, he felt like he needed one. It was like he needed to prepare for something, even though he wasn't certain what he was preparing for. Everything seemed like a paradox to him, and he was having a hard time just trying to keep his thoughts straight.

_Hey, hey, easy there, tough guy, no need to fry your brain! You gotta take things one at a time if you don't want to have a meltdown. _

Wes blinked in surprise as he heard the voice resonate in his head. He hadn't thought that! Could it have been…?

_Silver…?_

_The one and only. Just try and keep a level head, and that'll be the first step in solving this mess. I gotta say though, I am really enjoying this new connection! Better than being ignored twenty-four-seven, that's for sure. Reception is pretty clean too._

"I'm going insane…" the hunter sighed, stepping into the bathroom and washing himself off. About fifteen minutes later, he exited the bathroom feeling refreshingly clean on the outside, yet no better on the inside. There had to be something he could do to help fix things with the others, but what was it?

_Maybe seeing them first might help give you some ideas, eh? _Silver suggested.

It was a disorienting feeling, having a second voice in his head that was also his own. It was like he knew the answers, but had to have them told to him to realize it in the first place. The idea of having an… _entity_ like that, if he could even call Silver an entity, was jarring. Chances were that anyone else who heard about this would think the blue- and green-eyed hunter had gone mad, and he half-thought that was the case himself.

_Baby steps, Wes. Baby steps._

"Maybe getting some training in might help me clear my head…" the hunter mumbled, walking over to the rack his hunting gear was held up on.

_Not a bad plan. Maybe get some grub while you're at it. Personally, I'm starving._

Within a few minutes, he had fully garbed himself in the robes, which had been fully repaired during the time he was unconscious. He noticed that everything fit a bit more loosely than it had before, and that his swords seemed a bit heavier after giving one a practice swing.

_I suppose that makes sense... My body wouldn't have stayed in the same shape as before without any activity. _

_That's a given. At least Connor had that muscle juice to help speed the process along for you. Good food and exercise, and you'll be right as rain in no time!_

_Blegh, don't remind me of that stuff... _

_At least you can't throw up in your mind._

With a short sigh, the hunter stepped out of his room again, feeling about as ready as he could be.

"Wes!"

The dual blade wielder let out a surprised grunt as he spun around, completely taken off guard by the voice behind him. It only took a brief moment for him to register the figure of Sapphire behind the potted plant in the corner of the room, and the blue-haired huntress popped her head around the side of her usual hiding spot with a sly grin.

"It is so great to see you up after all this time!" she laughed cheerfully, stepping out from behind the plant. She was dressed in comfortable-looking clothes, so he assumed she wasn't on the job today. He swallowed anxiously as she approached him and gave him a tight hug. "How're you feeling? You aren't too sore or anything, are you?"

"Uh, I'm fine, thanks…" he replied simply, feeling an intense nervousness boiling up inside him.

_I was really not prepared for this at all… What do I even say? Sure, I told her all those things before we got on the airship, but… Damn, this is going to be even harder with the others!_

_Hey, keep it simple. No need to get all melodramatic. Look, think of this as chapter one: you're meeting people again, but you've gotta make a new first impression too. Let them see that you've learned something, and try not to be such a sourpuss. Oh, and by the way, she's staring now._

"…es? Hello, Earth to Wes? You in there?"

"Er… Yeah, sorry, just had a… thought, I guess…"

"Are you sure you're alright?" Sapphire asked, frowning a little. "Your eyes still seem a bit hazy to me, and you only look half-conscious. You were awfully thin too, now that I think about it... You weren't planning on going out training, were you?" she remarked, glancing at the swords sheathed on his back.

"I… thought it might do me some good. I mean, after a... three month nap and all…"

"Wait… Have you eaten anything since you woke up?"

"Uh… No."

"That explains it all! Come on, we're going to get you some food!"

_A woman after my own heart. It's like she's saying what I was thinking! Definitely a keeper, eh?_

_Silver, you are not helping._

_Lighten up, Wes. Would it kill you to at least humor me?_

"Alright, I guess a meal might help," Wes said with a shrug. As nervous as it made him, he knew that he had best get a start on getting up to speed with everyone, and Sapphire seemed to be the best one to start with.

"Great! Let's get going then! I'm thinking Diablos Horn Tavern might be a good pick!"

"Yeah, I'm fine with that..."

* * *

Snow sighed wearily as she stepped off the airship, pulling her helmet off and letting her hair loose. She had just returned from a very intense hunt for one of the Gear Rexes that had begun roaming across the country, and was more than glad that she had finally returned. The other three hunters that had accompanied her on the hunt disembarked a moment later, each one eager for some downtime after the fight.

The fight had gone well, all things considered. No one suffered any grievous injuries, though there were a few close calls. All things considered, if they hadn't all been present for the arena fight against the monster all those months before, they probably wouldn't have been aware of what to look out for.

Probably the biggest concern she had about this particular hunt, though, was that Frost had not accompanied her. The huntress wasn't as much concerned that he would've been badly hurt on another assignment, or that he wouldn't be there to bail her out of a bad situation- she was more than capable herself, after all- but instead, she worried how he would react to it. They were close, but Frost almost loathed the idea of them separating for long periods of time, particularly when it came to jobs like this. She understood his concern well; they were the only family they had, after all. Still, Snow was worried at how Frost would act when she was away, since he could be somewhat touchy about certain topics…

Still, she breathed a sigh of relief upon sighting the white-armored hunter approaching her from the training fields. He was just as unflappable as always, as far as she could tell; his steps were quick and purposeful, his stature tall and proud. Even through his helmet, she could sense his relief and seeing her back in good health.

"So, have you been good while I was away?" the white-haired huntress joked as her brother came to a stop in front of her. He let out a short grunt in reply, though she knew full well what he meant by it. "Glad to hear it! Any word on Wes yet?"

The masked hunter glanced around quickly, as if making sure no one was near enough to hear, before leaning in and responding with a low voice.

"Saw him head into HQ. Just left the grounds with Sapphire. Probably heading to a tavern."

"Has he talked with Viper or any of the other Gem Sisters yet?"

"No. They're all on the job right now."

"Alright, good… Saph won't be hard on him. We can talk with him later, okay?"

"Fine. And Snow? Glad you made it back safe."

"Glad to be back, Frost," she said, smiling lightly. He had definitely been getting better about speaking openly, and despite the fact that he always made sure no one else could hear him first, it was nice to be able to talk with him outside of their rooms. "Well, I think I'm going to hit the showers now. The Volcano hasn't gotten any cooler since the last time we were there, unfortunately. I'll see you in a while, brother."

The masked hunter nodded before making his way back to the training fields, his sheathed long sword held firmly in his grasp. Snow chuckled to herself as several other hunters moved aside to let him pass; Frost just had a very intimidating presence to people who didn't know him. She supposed that was a result of never speaking or showing his face to others, though.

_Still, if he thinks it's necessary, I won't argue. At least we have our agreement now…_

* * *

"…and after Viper stunned it with his wrist blade, Ruby moved in for the kill! You should have _seen _the stain on the ground after her hammer smashed its head in! It was like a melon, only messier!"

"Er… Saph? I'm… kinda trying to eat here… Maybe keep the gory ones until later?"

"Oh, sure! Didn't mean to mess with your appetite, sorry!"

"It's cool, it's cool."

Despite how conflicted he had been feeling earlier, Wes hadn't been able to resist the allure of a full meal after so long. His plate had been stacked high with food, yet he had eaten almost half of it before the waitress came back with refills. Needless to say, the meal had lightened his mood, if only a little. Sapphire had a hand in that as well, though he could tell the blue-haired huntress was avoiding the topic of his last assignment, and was instead focusing on relaying events that had transpired while he was unconscious. It seemed the others had recovered just fine, though he knew that the others were most likely prepared to chew his ears off.

_Wouldn't that be a funny sight? Imagine someone chewing on your ear to the point that it falls off! Hah, priceless!_

_Silver, you have a sick sense of humor._

_Eh, that happens when you've been ignored for almost two decades. Builds character, y'know? Just be glad I can't do anything else besides talk to you. Just think of me as a helpful voice of reason._

'_Helpful' my ass…_

_Hey, once you get back into the field, I'll show you what I can do. I'm good for more than just idle chit chat._

"Hey, Wes? You're doing that thing again…"

The blue- and green-eyed hunter blinked in surprise as he looked up at Sapphire, who was giving him a concerned look.

"Uh, sorry, what?"

"That thing where your eyes get a little hazy and you look like you're brooding about something? You've done that a couple times now…"

"Oh, r-really?" Wes said, his face reddening a little. He really had to learn how to be more discreet during these 'talks' with Silver. The last thing he needed was people thinking he was losing his mind. "Sorry, guess I'm… still getting used to everything."

"You're sure it isn't something else? Doctor Connor said you suffered a head injury during that hunt…"

"Really, I'm fine, Saph. Thanks for the concern, but I'm alright," he assured, though he knew she still wasn't fully convinced he was.

"…Does it have to do with the Tower incident?" the huntress asked after letting out a short sigh.

"…Uh…"

"Wes, listen to me, what happened out there was… pretty bad, I'll admit. You probably shouldn't have rushed in like that. Maybe things would have turned out differently if you hadn't. But, what I do know is that we all made it out of there alive thanks to you. I don't think I'll ever meet another hunter who's willing to jump off an airship to fight a Rathalos in free fall-"

"I didn't really 'jump', per se…"

"Hey, I'm in the middle of a mood lifting speech here! Don't interrupt!"

"S-sorry, please continue."

"Anyways… Specific details aside, no one can fault you for trying to fix your mistakes. We all make them, after all. You shouldn't beat yourself over the head just because of one, no matter how bad it was. Besides, if you don't look past that, how can you make amends with everyone else?"

"Well… You have a point there, but-"

"Exactly! Some people might be angry with you, but living in the past won't help better your image to them. So, it's time to put your chin up and get motivated!"

Despite his poor mood, Wes still let out a short chuckle at Sapphire's quirkiness. She was certainly making an effort, and she did bring up some good points. She may not know about the inner turmoil that was Silver-

_I heard that._

-but at least the blue-haired huntress wasn't berating him for his mistake. She might've understated just how severe the near-deaths of four people were, but Wes thought it was just another way of her trying to cheer him up.

"Ah hah! Finally got a smile out of you!" Sapphire said cheerfully. "I swear, I thought you were gonna be like that for weeks!"

"I might not be all sunshine and rainbows after everything, but even I'm not _that _depressing," he replied. "At least I know someone's got my back after all of that…"

"That's what friends are for, right? Just like what you said after the arena!"

"Yeah, I did say that, didn't I? Damn, I can't tell if that feels like a long time ago or a short one… I'm still not used to the fact that I missed out on a quarter of a year. I feel like more should've changed, I guess…"

"A lot has, you just haven't seen it all yet. Some of the jobs we've gone on recently have been… Well, I think I'll tell you later. After all, if you can't get past the thought of a squashed monster head, I don't think you're ready for anything worse."

"Now you've got me interested. Still, you're probably right… You can tell me all about it later, alright? …Preferably _after_ I'm done eating."

* * *

"Sir Balestra?"

"Yes, Mr. Trance, you may enter."

The Guild officer stepped into the Corps Head's office briskly, carrying an armful of files with him. He approached the crimson-eyed man's desk and set them down on an open space, breathing a short sigh of relief as the weight of the documents left his grasp.

"Here are the dossiers you requested I acquire, Sir."

"Ah, yes, very good. I take it there were no… unexpected difficulties?"

"Mr. Calistro stationed another guard in the area, but the guy was jumpy enough that I could distract him with a pebble. Hiding the papers under my side cape was another story…"

"As long as you were not discovered, I am certain a cover story could be made for why you were seen departing the tower with an abundance of papers. It has been a regular occurrence, no?"

"I suppose you would be correct, Sir. Though I do hope Mr. Calistro won't require these, since if he were to discover they were missing, he'd probably go after most any high ranking officer… and I would prefer not to lose the promotion I received, for what it's worth."

"Peace, Mr. Trance, your career is not at risk. The documents shall be returned within a week, no worse for wear. Now then, I have one more task for you before you are to meet with Mr. Corrin about our new applicants."

"Of course, Sir."

"I would like you to find out the condition of Mr. Wesley Adler. Based on the doctor's report, he should be awakening soon, and I would dearly like to speak with him…"

"Er… Actually Sir, I won't have to leave to tell you that. Wes is up and moving already. I saw him in a tavern on my way back, about fifteen minutes ago. Should I send for him?"

"Hmm… No, let him have a day to readjust. Inform him that I will speak with him before the week is out."

"Yes Sir. Will that be all?"

"You are dismissed, Mr. Trance. Try to make sure you pick more worthy applicants this time though, hmm? I would rather not see another fresh addition to the Corps butchered on his first assignment."

"Er… right. Good day, Sir."

"Good day."

Trance let out a low breath as he closed the office door behind him, tipping his hat to the guard stationed by the door before making his way over to the elevator.

"Ugh… 'Good day'? Can't believe I'm saying this, but I think he's starting to rub off on me. Guess that's the breaks of a job like this one…"

As the elevator door shut, the officer pulled out a small pad of paper and scribbled a message on it for the blonde-haired hunter to see upon his return. Trance figured it would be far less hassle to leave a message somewhere he would see it as opposed to trying to find Wes and deliver it directly.

"I do hope he isn't kicked out of the Corps, though… He's a good kid, just a bit too reckless for his own good," Trance mumbled, watching the elevator door slide open and stepping onto floor seven. He made his way to the hunter's door and slipped the message below it before returning to the chamber and pressing the ground floor button.

"There are plenty of people out there who have made worse choices, after all. Like Corrin taking the science wing shift for a day… I do hope that the applicants this time are better than the last batch, though. This isn't work for the faint of heart or the weak of body… And I just deliver papers, for crying out loud! If only there was a way to keep hunters from getting killed when they were out in the field… But then there'd be the whole issue of overpopulation and depleted resources… Ugh, the world definitely is a messy place. Speaking of, I wonder what dinner'll be tonight… Sloppy joes, maybe? …Damn, I ramble to myself _way_ too much."

Trance readjusted his side cape as the elevator slowed to a halt; the cape was an adornment awarded to officers he reached a certain rank in the Guild, and his work between the main branch and the Master Corps had helped speed his progression along rather quickly. It was a bit of a dream of his to acquire a little extra flourish for his uniform, even with its already vibrant colors and décor. Besides, if hunters could strut around wearing suits made of solid gold monster scales, could a little cloth be seen as outlandish?

The officer chuckled to himself at the thought as he waited for the door to slide open. He continued to watch the narrow crack between the two halves of the door, expecting it to slide open any second. He waited… and waited… and waited… For almost half a minute he stood there, staring down the door, realizing what had happened almost immediately but clinging to the hope that it was not so.

"Damn this piece of crap!" he shouted in frustration, stamping his foot once. The elevator had gone almost five weeks without an incident! Why would it break down on him now? Whatever the reason, he was now stuck in the small chamber with no reasonable method of escape. For a brief moment he considered using his rapier to pry the door open, but he discarded the thought almost immediately, knowing that the thin blade would only bend from the effort. Instead, he resolved to pounding on the door, hoping that the receptionist would hear him.

"…Hello? Is someone stuck in there?" a voice on the other side of the door asked.

"Sal! Thank the gods! It's me, Trance! The damn door won't open!"

"Again? Shoot, I loaned the crowbar out to Lyle a half hour ago to help with some maintenance in the training yard… I don't think he'll be back until later today."

"How much later?"

"Maybe… two or three hours?"

"T-three hours?! I have a conference for new applicants in fifteen minutes! If I'm late to that, I might lose my promotion!"

"Alright, lemme see if I can find something to get you outta there…" the liaison stated, stepping away from the door. Trance waited impatiently for her to return, and as fortune would have it, it did not take her long. "Alright, I got Dustin here to help me try and pull the door open! See if you can't try to give us a hand from that end!"

"You in there, Trance?" a new voice stated, this one belonging to the _Righteous Law's _captain. "It seems you're the only one who ever gets stuck in this thing nowadays, you know?"

"I'm well aware, Sir," the officer sighed, fitting his fingers into the crack of the door as far as he could.

On the count of three, the trio pulled with all their might, trying to pull the halves apart. Slowly but surely, progress was made, and after a few moments there were a few inches of open space in the doors. It wasn't enough to fit through, but with a couple more inches he could squeeze his way out without being crushed. Before they could reach that point, though, there was a pained yelp on the other side of the door, and one of the pairs of fingers holding the door open disappeared. Trance barely pulled himself away in time to avoid having his hands crushed between the doors, falling back in surprise as they slammed shut in front of him.

"W… What was that all about? Everything okay out there?" he asked exhaustedly. The door was not light weight, that much was for certain.

"Yeah… well, no, but none of us got hurt from the door closing," Sal answered. "I thought he might be able to handle something like this, but Dustin's injury acted up just now… I've gotta get him to a seat really fast, and then I'll get back to finding a way to get you out of there, okay? Sit tight, Trance!"

Trance breathed a frustrated sigh as he slumped against the wall. He was not mad at the captain- he couldn't help having suffered a severe injury during his hunting career- but he had hoped that they would have been able to get him out of there before anything like that had happened. Now… He was stuck in the elevator, there was an injured man outside of it, and he was most likely going to be late for his conference. Trance was preparing to kiss his side cape good-bye before he heard the elevator door groan once again.

"Sal? Is that you?" he asked, pushing himself up.

The door appeared to be opening once more, much more quickly this time too, yet he hadn't heard anyone on the other side say anything… Had Lyle come back with the crowbar? Before he could ponder the matter further, the doors suddenly flung open, both halves slamming into their slots in the wall and locking into place, leaving them wide open. On the other end a tall, white-armored figure stood silently, gazing down at the brown-haired officer within.

"O-oh, hello M-Mr. Frost," Trance stammered disbelievingly.

_Did he open the door by himself?! Just how strong is this guy?!_

The hunter simply nodded at him before stepping away from the elevator and heading towards the stairs, wordlessly ascending them and leaving those on the floor below in shock.

"T-thank you!" the officer called after him, stepping out of the elevator quickly. He saw Sal and Dustin seated on a bench nearby, both with amazed looks on their faces.

"And here I thought the story about him punching out a Lagiacrus was fantasy," the captain whistled after a moment, grimacing a little as he tried to push himself up. "Urk… Really wish I didn't have this old wound keeping me stuck doing menial tasks…"

"You just sit tight, hun. I'll get Connor over to make sure nothing got hurt too bad, okay?" Sal said, getting to her feet. "Trance, didn't you say you had a conference?"

"Oh, right! Jeez, someone flings a door open and every thought I had before goes flying out! I'll see you later!"

* * *

Viper let out a low grunt as he stepped off the airship, rolling his shoulder as he did so. He glanced over at his shoulder, and the pale star-shaped scar that had formed there. The wound itched every now and then, and it certainly wasn't nearly as comfortable as before, but the archer was thankful he wouldn't have to worry about getting a prosthetic limb.

'Thankful' was a very generous way of putting it, though. It was Wes' fault that he had gotten that wound in the first place! It took him almost a month to recover from the Tower hunt, and another few weeks to get used to using a bow again. Fortunately, his aim hadn't suffered much- he'd insisted on getting a dartboard across from his bed in the medical ward- so he was able to get back into the swing of things with relative ease.

That didn't make up for anything, though. The dual blade wielder had messed up big time, and Viper was going to make sure that Wes knew it. While his temper had cooled somewhat in the three months since the Tower job, he still harbored some resentment for the hunter. He knew Wes would be worse off coming face to face with Ruby or Emerald, though, considering how much more infuriated they were than he was. For whatever reason, the red-haired huntress had always been critical of Wes, even before he had started getting too reckless, and now she was using his recent failure as a reason to despise him even more. Emerald just seemed to be following along with that, but the fact that Amethyst and Sapphire were hurt because of him did little to help his standing.

Amethyst had taken a bit longer to heal than he had, but she didn't seem to harbor much anger towards the hunter herself. Viper just thought that was Ammy being Ammy, though; she never seemed to get fazed by anything. Saph, meanwhile, didn't seem like she cared at all about almost dying, though the archer knew that was mostly because she had a crush on Wes. It was pretty common knowledge, despite the fact that Wes was a bit too dense to realize- or act on it, for that matter.

Despite the likelihood of the blue-haired huntress viewing Wes' actions with rose-tinted glasses, he couldn't deny that her story had some validity to it, despite how incredulous it sounded. She had been the only one conscious, and she never was a good liar. Besides, Snow seemed to believe her side of things, and Viper had worked with the white-haired huntress enough to trust her judgment. He assumed Frost had the same views as she did, but Viper could never be completely certain.

That didn't mean that everyone shared that thought, though. It had been a pretty big topic of discussion around the Corps to discuss the events of this particular job, and while that had died down quite a bit, most everyone was waiting to see what would happen when Wes finally woke up. Some saw him as a hero, but others thought he shouldn't even be a Corps member after his blunder. It seemed the consensus was that their 'group' alone would handle the situation, since they were the ones most directly affected by it all.

_Doc said he'd be up today or tomorrow. Chances are, Saph's going to try to be the one to see him first. She'll just sugarcoat everything though, so I'd better set him straight before he thinks he's on easy street. Gods forbid one of the other Gem Sisters find him first...__I think I'll have a better idea of how I'll handle all this once I finally see him._

The archer let out another sigh before scanning the area. At first, he didn't catch sight of anything unusual, but far off in the distance, near the gate to the district, he spotted a familiar figure wearing a white hood approaching the grounds.

"Speak of the Devil…"

* * *

Wes stepped to the side as a familiar red-garbed figure raced past him and Sapphire, clearly going to some job or another as he always did.

"Glad to see Trance is still busy," the hunter remarked, looking after the officer for a moment before making his way back towards the Corps HQ.

"Yeah, Sir Balestra has him doing all sorts of errands," the blue-haired huntress said. "Last week he got some kinda promotion, and he's been going on and on about it non-stop. It's kinda funny seeing him like that, actually, but you gotta hand it to him: he works hard."

"Probably the hardest out of any non-hunter here, that's for sure. Guess he's got a dream of some kind, at least…"

"You say that like you're a bit envious, Wes."

"I…" Wes' voice petered out as her statement sank in. "You… You're completely right…"

"Huh?"

"I never really considered myself a dreamer. I have a goal, sure, but I found out that the way I've been going about trying to achieve it was all wrong. That just leaves me with a single destination, but no means of getting there… And when I think about everyone else's aspirations, like Viper wanting to prevent crime from happening, or you wanting to just be helpful to everyone you hunt with, I realize that mine really aren't that great in comparison. 'Be the greatest hunter ever' I said… That's been said a million times already, hasn't it? I can hardly compare to you guys in that regard…"

"Well, I remember a certain friend of mine telling me a pretty inspirational saying a while ago. He said 'if you just give up on something, it won't happen for sure. But if you keep trying, if you don't give up, even when it seems hopeless, maybe you'll succeed'."

"…Have you taken to memorizing everything I say, Saph?"

"Not really, just the stuff that's worth remembering."

_She's got a point, y'know. Remember that talk we had? I know it feels like ages ago, but just because one thing is wrong doesn't mean there's no other way to go about things. Look at it from different angles: Pops was a great hunter, sure, but how many others in history held that same honor? Does surpassing him mean having greater prowess in combat? Does it mean more people know your name? Or is it because you became your own man, and you decided it was time to stop wallowing in the shadows with an inferiority complex? _

_Yeah, yeah, I get it… Guess I'd better get to planning some new goals then._

_Hey, at least you've got me to help you out._

_Not entirely thrilled about that, but thanks, Silver._

_Any time, my friend._

"Wes, watch out!"

The hunter snapped back into focus just in time to avoid walking into the side of a building, twisting himself to the side and stumbling out of the way. He managed to keep himself from falling over, albeit in a very clumsy manner.

"I, uh, meant to do that," he stated, putting on a fake smirk to try and appease the huntress' worried expression.

"Ever since you got up, you've been acting really weird, Wes. Are you absolutely certain there's nothing bugging you? No… voices telling you to kill people or anything?"

"N-no! Not at all!"

_Hey, see that guy over there? The one with the pointy hat? You should totally kill him. _

_Silver, this is not the time for your shenanigans!_

_Sorry, sorry, it was too good to pass up._

"Look, Saph, I get that you're worried, but I'm fine, really. Like I said before, it's just me having difficulties getting back into the swing of things. I'm not crazy-"

_I beg to disagree._

"-and there definitely are _not _voices in my head-"

_Rude._

"-so you don't have to worry about me. I'm still me, and that isn't changing."

"…Alright, fine, but if something _is _the matter, promise me that you'll at least talk to someone about it? It doesn't have to be me, it could be Snow, or Amethyst, or Viper, or anyone else. You don't have to go it alone. You've got friends, after all, and if you let them help, maybe they'll let you help them back."

"O-okay," Wes stuttered, scratching the side of his head abashedly. "Thanks, Saph."

"Anytime, Wes," the blue-haired huntress grinned, walking ahead of him as they neared the gate leading to the Corps grounds. "Welp, I suppose this is where I'll have to say good-bye. I said I'd help Ruby with a bit of training, and I think I've kept her for long enough. I should be back later today though, so if you need anything, you know where to find me!"

"Yeah, right… I'll see you around, Sapphire."

Wes waved lightly as the huntress departed, eventually letting out a long sigh and leaning against the gate exhaustedly. He hadn't exactly done anything strenuous, but the number of philosophical topics he had brushed over in the last hour had taken its toll on his mind. That and the constant 'presence' of Silver had really worn him down quickly.

"Damn I have a headache… I could really use a nap…"

"I'm pretty sure you've slept enough for a while, _bud."_

Wes tensed up immediately as the familiar voice hit his ears. He slowly looked to the side, anxiety causing his breath to quicken. Sure enough, Viper stood only a few feet to his right, fully garbed in his Green Nargacuga armor, his bow slung on his back and his helm strung onto his belt. He had a fresh cut above his left eye, though the bleeding appeared to have stopped already, and he had a very sour look on his face; not that Wes could blame him, all things considered.

One thing in particular drew Wes' attention, though: there was a very prominent star-shaped scar on the archer's shoulder. The pale mark was almost the size of his fist, and the way the new layer of skin moved when Viper shifted his arm looked none too comfortable. It took only a moment for Wes to realize that the wound was in the exact same spot where the Rathalos' talon had impaled Viper at the Tower.

"V-viper?"

"Come on, like it could be anyone else?"

"I-I was… erm…"

"Gods above, leave a guy in a coma for three months and he comes out of it blubbering like an idiot. Can you even put a sentence together?"

"Y-yeah, sorry…"

"You have a lot to be sorry about, _bud. _I almost lost my arm because of you, after all. I almost _died _because of you. Same thing with Amethyst. Same thing with Sapphire."

"I just-"

"Shut up and hear me out, Wes. It's because of you that we almost all got killed on that last assignment… Not one of us came home without some kind of wound, and three of us were unconscious. Fact of the matter is, it was your poor thinking that landed us in the middle of that mess, bum rushing into a Rath nest without thinking ahead like that.

"It's not like this is the first time, either. On most every hunt I've been on with you, I've seen you run ahead to try and get the first hit on the target, get in the way of all your teammates just to score a decisive blow for yourself, and in general put the rest of us in danger just to appease your ego. Not only that, but whenever we did get hurt, did you ever pop in to see how we're doing? Nope. Not once. Kind of a shitty thing for a friend to do, in my opinion.

"After everything that's happened because of you and your spotlight hogging, I really shouldn't trust you at all. I'm not sure most anyone should, in fact. Blunders like that don't end well, and I doubt anyone would want to wait around to see if they'll be the victim for a teammate's choice like we almost were."

The dual blade wielder's expression darkened as Viper paused to take a breath. Everything he had said was true: he never had been a stellar teammate or a good friend. There had been a few points where he had wanted to at least interject and defend himself, but one look at Viper's scar was all it took to remind him that he really didn't have a right to. His gaze lifted, though, when the archer began speaking again.

_"However, _I have had a full three months to mull over what happened that night. Snow told me that you had stayed behind to try and fight the Rathalos off to cover our escape. She may have gotten the info from Sapphire, but I've worked with Snow enough to know when she's put her trust in someone. You gave up an opportunity for glory to save our hides. That's not the same Wes who got Amethyst burned, who got Sapphire's ankle sprained, and who got yours truly a giant hole punched through his shoulder."

"…What're you saying…?" Wes asked slowly, pushing himself off the wall and looking the black-haired archer in the eyes.

Without any warning, the yellow-eyed hunter brought his arm up and slammed his fist into the side of Wes' face, causing the dual-blade wielder to stumble back with a surprised, pained grunt. There was a ton of force behind the blow, and Wes barely managed to keep himself upright, planting his palm against the wall and dropping to one knee as he brought his other hand to his face. He could even taste blood. The hunter glanced up as Viper approached him again, bracing himself in case the archer meant to strike again.

"What I'm saying is you should be lucky that was all I'm going to do to you."

The archer held his hand out to the dual blade user, his expression lightening somewhat as he did so. After a moment's hesitation, Wes took it and allowed Viper to pull him back up, hoping it was not a ruse of some kind that would end with an even worse blow than the last one.

"So, you got something you want to say?"

"…Look, I'm sorry… about everything. All the times I blocked your shots, and got in the way, and tried to make you all take the backseat on these hunts… I'm sorry. None of you came here to watch someone else fight, after all. Guess I was just a bit too hard-headed to realize that before."

"…Well, I can tell that you at least got some sense knocked into you this time, blondie," Viper sighed. "But I'm afraid I'm gonna have to decline your apology."

"Wait, what do you-"

"Just because you say one thing doesn't mean you mean it, Wes. I'm gonna need some hard proof that you aren't the same dumbass who almost got an entire group of hunters killed for no reason. So, I'm not accepting your apology. I'm giving you one more chance. Screw this one up, and you'll be sorry."

"Why're you even giving me a chance? Shouldn't I… have to earn that or something?"

"Like I said, it's been three months. I haven't exactly been pleased with the circumstances, but believe me, if you had made it back conscious, you'd have been in for more than one punch. And, for what it's worth, Snow suggested we wait and see whether or not you acted differently once you rolled outta bed. Took a while for her to convince me, but she had all the time in the world while you were in La La Land. I can take one glance at you now and tell that there's a lot more going on in that head of yours."

_Aww, how sweet, I think he noticed me. Tell him I said hi, why don'tcha? Might lighten the mood._

_You don't come with an off switch, do you?_

_Not with this version, unfortunately. You planning on suffering another head injury within the next week or so though? That punch definitely rattled a few more things in here. Knocked over my sock drawer. But enough about my ingenious sense of humor, you've got a conversation to get back to._

"So, as long as you prove that you have learned a lesson about teamwork and start acting like a proper teammate instead of a wannabe hero, I'll forgive you," Viper said, brushing his hair away from his right eye, only for it to fall back into place immediately. "And maybe put some thought into how you can be a better friend too. Got it?"

"Yeah… Yeah, I got it," Wes replied, shaking his head slowly. "I… guess I'll see you around then?"

"You know it. And try not to disappoint the masses either. You've got a lot of eyes on you now, and not all of 'em are admirers anymore."

"Noted. And Viper? Thanks. For the chance, I mean."

"Some people deserve 'em, I guess. Oh, and one more thing, I think Snow wanted to talk with you too. She said she would be in her room when I saw her last. Try not to be late, eh? I hear women can be vicious if you keep 'em waiting for too long."

"…Yeah, for some reason that makes a lot of sense… I'll get a move on then."

"Good luck."

Wes let out another sigh as Viper turned and walked back towards the HQ building. He was relieved that their encounter had gone so well… Or, at least as reasonably as it could have, all things considered. His face hurt like hell from where the archer had slugged him, and he still felt a bit conflicted about everything, but he knew that he had some hope now.

_See? That wasn't so bad!_

_Well, after that nightmare you put me through, how could I not be a little worried? _

_Alright, alright, I'll cut back on the pyrotechnics next time. Doesn't mean the message didn't get across though. _

_So… you're saying you lied to me about their actual feelings?_

_No- at least, not intentionally. You gotta remember, I only know what you know. As far as you were concerned, they were all ready to tear your throat out. Course, there was also the communication difficulties and the matter of keeping our session within acceptable parameters… But all of that stuff aside, I was just trying to get that message across to you, and sure, it might've been a bit intense, but I had to make sure you were up for this once you got up. Not like I can do much else right now aside from make witty remarks that only you can hear._

_Oi vey… Let's just get back to the building and see what Snow has to say. Then I'm heading to bed… I've had enough of this for one day._

_Ah, excellent! I was beginning to miss the comfortable feeling of a soft pillow caressing the back of your head. But wait, aren't you at all concerned about meeting with Snow?_

_Eh, not really. I mean, Sapphire and Viper both said she wasn't particularly mad with me, so maybe she just wants to check in-_

_No no no, that's not what I meant! SHE invited YOU into HER room. Ain't that a little… risqué, my blonde haired friend?_

_W-what?! You are blowing this way out of proportion!_

_Well, technically it's your thinking…_

_There's not going to be anything like… that. We're just friends, and we're just talking. There won't be any surprises or whatnot. Just a simple chat._

_Are you telling me this, or are you trying to reassure yourself?_

_I… have no clue._

_Smooth._

* * *

Not long after his talk with Viper, Wes found himself outside the entrance to Snow's room, his hand hovering in the air before the door leading in. He could see his hand shaking anxiously as he tried to summon up the courage to knock, yet after almost a minute, he had come no closer to doing so. He was not quite sure what it was that kept him from it. By all rights, he shouldn't have anything to worry about. Snow wasn't angry with him as far as he knew, and Viper had said she was behind whatever Sapphire had told them all, so there wasn't any reason for him to be so nervous.

And yet here he was, his hands shaking and a thin trickle of sweat running down the side of his face caused by his own apprehension.

_So, just a simple chat, huh?_

_Not now… Can't you just leave me alone for a few minutes?_

_I would, but that would mean you'd have to be dead, so unless you feel like offing yourself, you'll just have to deal with it. _

_Silver…_

_Easy, easy. Look, seeing as to how I'm a part of you, I can understand why you're nervous. It isn't about going into a girl's room for the first time in your life- and hey, your secret's safe with me- and it definitely isn't about how she's going to react. You already have both of those fears conquered._

_Then why are my palms sweating so much?_

_Because you don't know why she didn't come find you herself, or why she invited you to speak behind closed doors. _

_Well… You have a point there, but maybe she didn't feel like making a public scene? I could feel an awful lot of eyes on me at the tavern earlier, and while there weren't exactly many people nearby when I talked with Viper, I'm fairly certain there were quite a lot of witnesses of him slugging me. Damn, that still hurts…_

_That's a reasonable guess. We've already ruled out the possibility of her trying to kill you or something, and it's not going to be anything romancy- she's way out of your league anyways- so the only logical assumption you can make is that she was hoping to save your dignity anymore harm via public humiliation._

…_Okay, why couldn't I figure all of that out on my own? That really isn't too difficult… Hell, I don't even feel nervous at all now!_

_Well, saying you didn't figure it out isn't exactly true. Like I said before, you got all the information in your head, you just need me to help you sort things out better. You'll find that you're functioning at a much better capacity than you were before, now that you've got me putting more thought into things for you. But, like I said, you'll get a better view of that when you're back in the field. Now then, onwards, my sweaty-handed companion!_

Wes rolled his eyes and wiped the palms of his hands against his pant legs before reaching towards the door again, rapping his knuckles against the wood a few times. He heard some slight shuffling from within, as well as a muffled voice respond "Coming!" before the door swung open, revealing the white-haired huntress in the frame, dressed in her casual wear.

"H-hey Snow, what's up?"

"Wes!" she exclaimed, reaching out and pulling the blue- and green-eyed hunter into a tight hug that robbed him of the air in his lungs. "It is so good to see you awake after all this time!"

"Ack… Good to be back…" he gasped. She was surprisingly strong despite her lighter frame, and because of how much weaker his body was after awakening, he felt it even more than normal. "Maybe not one-hundred-percent healed yet though, so… maybe lighten up a little?"

"Oh, sorry! I forget my own strength sometimes! Still, I'm glad to see you up. Last time I saw you, you were looking like you were having a nightmare, and all the bandages really didn't help with the image."

"I'll bet," he replied awkwardly, scratching the side of his head. "Don't really remember much about it, but… let's just say it wasn't pretty."

"Well, you can tell me about it if you want. Still, come on in! I'm sure you want a seat or something, right?"

"I can stand, it's fi-"

"A chair it is! C'mon, you!"

Wes let out a slight yelp as the huntress pulled him inside with hardly any effort, shutting her door after them. The white-haired huntress lead him over to her desk chair and made him take a seat before doing the same on the edge of her bed, giving him a cheerful smile. The dual sword wielder allowed his gaze to wander a little bit around the room, but curiously enough he found that it was even less decorated than Viper's was. Aside from a few books piled up on her desk, the only thing that really stood out to him was a small portrait on her nightstand, depicting a black-haired man with two smaller figures on either side of him, both with full heads of white hair and icy-blue eyes.

_Huh, I wonder who that guy is? That's probably Frost and Snow, and could that be their father?_

"So, I'm guessing Viper got my message to you, huh?" Snow asked, pulling his attention away from the image.

"Yeah, he delivered it… but not until after he delivered his fist into the side of my face," Wes replied dryly, rubbing the still-sore mark where the archer had struck him. "All things considered, I'm glad I got off as easy as I did. He was probably about ready to kill me before, huh?"

"He... certainly wasn't pleasant, I'll tell you that much," she said, smiling sympathetically. "He was upset enough that he actually didn't even want to give you a chance once you woke up. Took Saph and I weeks to convince him otherwise."

"I'll bet… But I gotta ask, why are you so calm about all of this? You and Frost have the best teamwork out of anyone in the Corps, so I guess I assumed you'd be the one to give me the lecture on its importance and all that. I mean, I'm not saying you're an _angry _person, per se, but… Shouldn't you be at least a little upset with me?"

"Well, I was waiting to see you face to face before I really could take a guess with my own feelings. That's also why Viper only let you off with one punch: he planned an entire combo to use on you before we talked some sense into him, you know. I'm not really upset with you –I wasn't the one who came home half-dead, after all- but I was still sort of… disappointed to hear about what happened. To say you royally screwed up is about as lightly as I can put it."

"At least it isn't a punch to the face…" the hunter sighed, slumping in the chair somewhat. "Still, I don't blame you. I'd be angry with me too if I were in any of your guys' boots."

"And it's good that you get that. I'd be even more disappointed if you'd come out of that without some kind of lesson."

"Trust me, I had potentially the most mentally scarring crash course anyone has ever experienced."

"Oh? Care to explain a little?"

"Uh... That's… Well, I don't really remember a whole lot…" he lied, trying to think of a way to divert the subject. The memory of everything that had occurred while he was unconscious was still fresh in his mind, though if he divulged all of that information, Snow would definitely think he was crazy.

"Wes, you know you can tell me the truth, right?"

"Er… w-what?"

"I know your tells. Whenever you fib, you always look to the left and scratch your right cheek."

"…I do?"

"Yes, you really do. Now look, I get that it might've been bad, but holding it in won't exactly help you out in the long run, Wes. I just want to know that my trust in you isn't misplaced."

"Snow, I…" Wes let out a short sigh, knowing what her strategy was now. "Look, I'll tell you some about it, but… there're a few things I really don't want to go into. It's not that I don't appreciate your trust, but… well, you'd call me mad if I said everything."

"I don't think I'd go that far, but I understand. Just tell me what you feel comfortable with saying, alright?" she said, giving him a reassuring smile. Wes sighed once more before telling the huntress about his dream. He made sure to leave out the parts about Silver-

_Probably a smart idea._

-and the parts where he could hear the others speaking about him, making sure that he was thorough with the explanation of his views on all that had transpired in the first 'section' of it. Snow was listening intently the entire time, nodding occasionally and frowning slightly at the part where she and Frost appeared.

"…and that's about everything I can say," he finished, leaning back in his chair. He felt almost exhausted from telling the story, but he had to admit, it was something of a relief to get it off his chest. "So, how crazy do you think I am?"

It took a moment for Snow to answer him as she finished mulling over the details of what he had said.

"I don't think you're crazy, at least, not any crazier than you were before. I can see why you didn't want to share that with me, but I'm glad you did, Wes. I do have one more question for you, though."

"Yeah? What is it?"

"What do you think you learned from all of this?"

"I… well, what I got out of all of this is that what I do affects more than just myself. Everyone who's with me might suffer from a poor choice I make, doubly so if I make that choice without thinking first. People do rely on me to do my part, but I have to let them do theirs too. I shouldn't think it's worth it to jeopardize the lives of my friends just to make myself look good. I know I did that a lot in the past, and there really isn't any way to change those mistakes… but that doesn't mean I won't keep myself from making them again. You, Viper, Frost, the Gem Sisters, Ishmael, Tara… Even if we don't always get along, you all mean more to me than any amount of fame and fortune I could get from slaying a monster. I'd rather be remembered as the guy who stood with his friends and failed than the one who left them behind to try and succeed."

Snow was silent for a good long while after Wes had said his piece, which unnerved him slightly. Sometimes she would just lapse into a thoughtful silence that was completely different from her normally-talkative personality, and it never failed to put him a little on edge for some reason. After about a minute, though, she cracked a wide smile and began to chuckle.

"Er… Is something funny…?"

"No, nothing's funny," she replied, still laughing to herself. "You really have gotten wiser from this, Wes, and I'm just really happy to see that. I'm glad to know that I believed in you."

"Well, I appreciate that, Snow, but now I feel like there's more to it than that," Wes stated curiously, relieved that the huntress was still willing to consider him a friend, but also wondering why he felt like there was more to their chat.

"Hmm… Maybe there was a _little _bit more to this than just me."

"What do you mean…?"

"She means me."

Wes gasped at the sound of a third voice behind him: it was smooth and calm, yet cold as ice. He slowly turned around to face his addressor, not having noticed him hidden in the shadows when he first entered the room. Though he was mostly obscured by the shadows cast by the low hanging moon outside, Wes could make out a pair of cool blue eyes the exact same shade as Snow's. He was leaning against the back wall, long sword propped up next to him, with both arms crossed. His helm rested on the floor beside him, the visage of the mask seeming less fearsome now that it didn't cover the man's face.

"…Frost…?"

The long sword user stared directly into Wes' eyes, his cool gaze practically piercing right through him. Wes was at a loss for words; Frost _never _took his helmet off in front of anyone! He never _spoke _to anyone, for that matter! Why was he doing so now? And, more importantly, why had he been listening in on their conversation this entire time without making himself known?

_Well, this is definitely something I didn't expect. You have every right to be terrified now, Wes._

_You think?!_

"I can tell your words were sincere," the long sword user stated bluntly, pushing himself off the wall and taking a step forward into the moonlight. "If Snow trusts you, then so do I."

Wes gaped a little at the long sword user's appearance now that he could actually see what he looked like. His jaw was far more defined than Snow's, and he had a much sharper nose as well. In stark contrast to his sister's straight hair, Frost's white hair was extremely shaggy and unkempt, to the extent that Wes could only equate it to the mane of a wild beast. His eyes were narrow and focused, and his brow was furrowed, only adding to his focused appearance. The single most defining trait about him, though, was the long icicle-shaped scar running from beneath his left eye to the middle of his cheek.

"Sorry to surprise you like that, Wes, but… Well, my brother and I had a talk about everything," Snow remarked. "We decided we should test to see if we could still trust in you. Frost… had his doubts. I wanted to make sure you could allay them. It looks to me like you did."

"I… I don't really think I understand completely," Wes stuttered, glancing between the twins. "I mean, I get that you wanted to see if you could trust me and all, but… What's with the whole unmasking thing? And why did you have to be so secretive about all of this? About _everything?"_

"As you put it, there are some things that shouldn't be said," Frost replied. "…lest the speaker appear mad."

"We can't really explain everything right now, but maybe in time we will," Snow added. "Wes… Frost agreed to show himself only to you, but only if you proved yourself trusting enough. You're the first person who has really seen him apart from me for years. The fact that he did speaks volumes, don't you think?"

"But… why?" the dual blade wielder asked, shaking his head. "You should all be pissed with me! You should doubt my honesty, not trust me with the secret of the century! This just doesn't make sense!"

"Maybe it doesn't. But perhaps there was no better moment for us to know the truth," the white-haired man said. "I wanted my sister's assumptions to be correct, but I couldn't allow myself to blindly place my faith into a kid whose motivations were unknown to me. I agreed to reveal myself only if you proved yourself trustworthy to Snow, and to me. As for the reason… the fact that you opened your heart to her as you did was the deciding factor. I feel you may even be able to help us."

"…This is making my head hurt… What do you need help with? What's with all the cryptic remarks?"

"That's something for another time, unfortunately," Snow said, giving him an apologetic smile. "I promise, if you keep up the pace, we'll tell you everything. But as for now, you look like you're about to pass out. Get some shut eye, Wes. You're going to need it."

"I… alright… Thanks for trusting me so much, both of you. I won't let you down."

"Wes, one more thing, before you go."

"Er, yeah, Frost? What is it?"

"Tell no one of my part in this talk."

"Er... Okay. I won't."

Snow walked with him to the door, leaving Frost back in the room to strap his helmet back on. Wes felt like he understood a little more about the pair now, but that only raised even more questions about the twins. His mind was too jumbled to make any sense of it all right now though… Maybe some rest would do him good after all. The dual blade wielder let out a tired sigh as he stepped into the hall.

"Wes?" He turned to face Snow again, putting aside how confused he was for the moment. "Thanks. For… well, being so understanding."

"I hardly understand anything right now, Snow. I'm just trying to make do with what I got."

"For what it's worth, you have us to help you too," she smiled, stepping closer to him and embracing him once more. After a moment of awkward uncertainty, Wes returned the gesture, drawing a short giggle from the huntress. "Looks like my lessons really did pay off, huh?"

"I guess they did," he chuckled, parting after another few moments. "I'll see you tomorrow, Snow."

"Good night, Wes."

* * *

_Well, for your first day back I'd say everything went splendidly! Aside from getting socked by Viper and the near breech-soiling that occurred when Frost decided to speak up… _

_Don't even remind me… I still wonder what reason he has for hiding behind that mask of his. _

_It's pretty clear he and Snow have something to hide, but as for what that is, I have no idea. Still, you've got three people who trust you, and a fourth who's waiting for some solid proof. Overall, that ain't a bad start._

_Doesn't mean I don't have a long way to go. The entire Master Corps knows that I screwed up, and Balestra wants to talk to me about something, which is definitely a bad sign. I haven't even gotten close to fixing everything yet either. Chances are Ruby, Emerald, and Amethyst are going to lay into me once they catch up to me, and that's not even taking into account all the other people who're probably ready to do the same._

_You made a few steps though. And that's worth something, at least. _

_Y'know, for all the snarky comments, you really are good at saying what I need to hear, Silver._

_With a position like mine, that comes naturally. Besides, it's not like I'm around to show you my warm, passionate cuddles. I'm here to make life easier for you. I just need to entertain myself along the way._

_Well, I guess I could ask for a worse partner in there…_

_Yeah, I could be terminal. _

…_That's horrible._

_Eh, you thought it was funny. Now get some sleep, my mentally worn friend. We've got a lot to do tomorrow, and I'd rather avoid having to act as an alarm clock too._

* * *

**Author Notes: Please review! Whew, after a long hiatus, we're back on track with Wes and the others! Frontier Lineage was a fun diversion, but now that I've got the ideas for that out of my head, I can focus much more on The Master Corps! Be warned, that wasn't the only hiatus I'm going to take, and I have a few other stories floating around that I may need to clear out before too long, but rest assured that I won't be taking a break for a while. Not until the end of this arc, at least!**

**So, who all was expecting a mobs armed with pitchforks and torches when Wes woke up? If he hadn't been out of commission for three months (which was an idea at the time, actually) that's close to what might've been waiting for him! Needless to say, he's having a fairly rough time of it all readjusting. At least Viper went easy on him, huh?**

**Ironically, Silver has taken a much more prominent role than I initially intended. At first, I was only planning on having his influence be like an instinct or something that would push Wes away from making the same mistakes as before. Now, they're holding full conversations with each other, and it is awesome. You can thank Lineage for that: if it wasn't for Damien's own snark, I'd have very little ground to work Silver's character from. **

**And now, Frost has at last showed his face! So, there's one mystery solved, but how many have arisen now? Clearly Wes is going to have some pretty heavy involvement in whatever Frost and Snow need. And what about the man in the picture in Snow's room? So many questions! See, this is why I love writing these two, Frost in particular. They've got a huge air of mystery around them, and I can reveal tidbits without spoiling everything.**

**So, in two weeks there'll be a whole host of new Nintendo products on the market! Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, Majora's Mask 3D, the 'New' 3DS... I'm not sure which I'll get first! I may end up trading in my old 3DS to get the new one (I got one when they first came out, so I've been using a standard size system for all these years), though I'm not sure if that offer extends to the special edition MH4U themed one. Not gonna lie, I really liked the way that thing looks, and the game being preinstalled? Yes please.**

**Playing: Fire Emblem: Awakening; SSB4 3DS/Wii U; Hyrule Warriors**

**Reading: The Lost Civilization: DLC-After Life; more college notes, yay.**

**Watching: Recently, nothing but the stupidity of man kind unfolding outside my dorm window**

**Listening to: FE: Awakening Soundtrack; SSB4 Soundtrack (love the Xenoblade Chronicles Medley, tbh); Hyrule Warriors soundtrack (Okay, I really like video game music...)**


	19. The First Step

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 19- The First Step

Wes breathed an exhausted sigh as he sheathed his dual blades across his back, the edges worn dull after several hours of training. Almost a dozen practice dummies had been badly damaged or broken from the exercise, though only because he had pushed himself so hard to do so. For the last three days he'd been throwing everything he had into regaining the strength he had lost. Due to a strange-tasting muscle juice Doctor Connor had given him, the effects of his training were amplified to the point where he felt he could most likely hold his own on a hunt now, despite still feeling a touch weaker than he had before the coma.

_I'd say you've put in more than enough for today. Again. Seriously, even I'm surprised you've been going at it this hard._

_Can't afford to sit around doing nothing, Silver. I'm trying to avoid getting thrown into another three month traipse through dreamland, y'know, and I've gotta be at the top of my game to do so._

_Right, just make sure you don't kill yourself while you're climbing up there. That's the last thing we need to happen._

_Yeah, yeah, we've been over this. I think I ought to meet with Balestra today though; gods know it wouldn't be a good idea to keep him waiting longer than necessary._

_Make sure you at least clean yourself first, slimeball. You aren't exactly presentable right now._

Silver was right: after the long routine he had put himself through, Wes' hair was matted with sweat, his hands and face grimy with dirt, and his outfit covered in both. That was to be expected, though, after spending so much time lifting weights, running drills, practicing climbing, and training with various weapons. He had been able to borrow a few practice weapons to brush up on the techniques of the lighter ones, which was a nice refresher from his near-constant use of dual blades.

The blue- and green-eyed hunter had felt many a prying eye on him throughout the day though, which he had fully expected. Since day one, he'd felt the gazes of those at the training yard, even when he didn't check for them. It seemed everyone knew about his screw up, yet no one would actively confront him over it. It just seemed like they were waiting to see what would happen next.

_Actions do speak louder than words, it seems._

_In this case, I'd say they're waiting more for an _event _than an action, Wes. Something that could be on the same level as the Rathalos and all that. _

_I suppose it could be worse. They could be throwing stones._

_After three months, I doubt anyone who wasn't actively involved will really care about what happened that much. Now, they probably WILL care if they get put onto a team with you, so hope that no one tries to off you on a job out of anxiety._

_That's really taking this to the extreme, Silver. I don't think anyone's going to try and kill me any time soon._

_Eh, no harm in being cautious. But hey, enough of that, we've got a meeting to attend._

Breathing another short sigh, the hunter moved the broken dummies onto the growing pile of scrapped equipment and began to make his way over towards HQ. A few other hunters went to occupy the space now that he was leaving, murmuring to each other quietly as they passed him by. This was something he had gotten used to rather quickly, but he still cringed a little upon realizing that hardly anyone even greeted him with a 'hey' anymore. Before he could make it far out of the training yard though, he felt a hand firmly grasp his shoulder.

"Where do you think you're going, blondie?"

As he turned around, a fist slammed into the side of the dual blade wielder's face, sending him reeling back in shock. Wes dropped to his knee to keep himself from falling over, wiping his cheek with the back of his hand before looking up at his 'addresser'.

"You are lucky as hell that I've been so busy these past three days, else I'd have clubbed you _much _sooner," Ruby hissed, her voice seething with anger, causing Wes to flinch at just how venomous she sounded. He'd thought Viper had struck him hard, but compared to Ruby's punch, it seemed like the archer had held back. He'd thought it was just a stroke of good fortune that he hadn't seen her yet, but now… well, it seemed his luck had run out.

"Glad to see you too, Ruby," he groaned, rubbing the side of his face and pushing himself up. "But was the welcoming punch really that necessary?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, were you expecting more? Maybe I ought to have included my other fist!"

Wes quickly sidestepped as she swung at him again, wincing a little as he felt the slight breeze her arm caused beside his head. He hopped back to avoid yet another punch from the red-haired huntress, sliding to a stop a couple yards away from her.

"Easy there! Isn't one shot enough?" he asked, holding his arms up defensively, trying to defuse the situation.

"After what you did to Amethyst and Sapphire, you ought to be glad that wasn't my hammer, jackass," she growled, planting her palm on the handle of the weapon to accentuate her point. "Do you have _any idea _how long it took for Ammy to get out of the hospital? Two and a half months. The damage that fireball did was almost fatal!"

"Yes, I do realize that. I talked with Sapphire about it already, and I apologized to Amethyst yesterday."

"Oh, so that makes it okay?! I don't give a damn if the whole Master Corps, even Balestra himself, forgives you for this, because I won't! As far as I care, you almost killed two of my closest friends in an attempt to show off again! This is just what I was expecting to happen too. I knew there was a reason I shouldn't trust you ever since we fought the Lucent Nargacuga. You're more concerned with your own macho-badass appearance to give a damn about anyone else!"

_Here we go again…_ "Ruby, look, I-"

"You what? You're sorry? Like hell I'll believe that! I don't have a _single reason_ to accept your apologies, so don't expect me to! You should be ashamed to even call yourself a hunter after all of this, Wes. I don't know what Balestra wants to talk to you about, but I hope it's about you getting kicked out of the Corps, because that would be _exactly _what you deserve. At least that might keep the rest of us safe from getting killed by a shitty teammate's attempt to achieve glory."

"Can I just-?"

"No, you can't. Stay away from me, and stay away from the others. If I hear that any of them got hurt because of you again, don't expect me to back off so easily."

"Listen-"

"I don't want to hear it. I have nothing else to say to you. Now get out of my way; I have more important things to do than deal with an asshole like you."

Before Wes could even speak up again, the huntress stormed past him, making sure to shove him with her shoulder as she did so. The dual blade wielder stumbled a bit, but he kept his footing, letting out a short sigh as she strode away.

_Getting her trust is going to be probably the biggest challenge out of everyone…_

_I'd say it's a tie between her and Emerald. Greenie wasn't too pleased about your house call to Ammy the other day, remember._

_Yeah, I remember perfectly. I really wish people would quit punching me in the face already though; it's getting kinda old._

_Well, I'll give you a heads up if there's another surprise attack waiting for you. As entertaining as it's been, I'll agree that its charm has gotten stale. _

_Gee, thanks. I feel so safe now._

_No need to get snarky with me. That's my schtick. Anyways, let's get a move on, bucko. No need to let a crowd gather._

Wes spared a short glance around, noting that a small group of people had been watching the exchange between him and Ruby, and were waiting to see what he would do next. Taking a deep breath, the hunter began to make his way back towards HQ as well, knowing that even after all of that, he had more important matters at the moment than worrying about Ruby's opinion.

About half an hour later, the hunter approached the door to Balestra's office, now clean and garbed in a more formal outfit consisting of a dark blue tunic, light brown pants, and low cuffed black leather boots. He figured he might as well try and _look _like he understood the gravity of the situation, at the very least.

_Personally, I'd have gone with the green one. That little design on the sleeve was a real eye-catcher._

_Shut up, this is actually important! I can't have you going around and making a fuss in my head while I'm trying to concentrate!_

_Relax, relax! Just a jape. Trust me, you're not going to look crazy in front of him. At least, not any crazier than you did _before_ suffering brain damage and producing yours truly. On that note, I'll go on a coffee break. Good luck!_

Wes sighed once more as he felt Silver's presence fade away. It was strange, but if he really needed to, Silver could practically recede from his thoughts, leaving Wes' mind solely his own again. He wasn't sure whether it was a blessing or a curse though: the idea of having an imaginary entity in his head that could appear and disappear at will was unnerving enough, but at least it gave him a chance to have some quiet time with his own thoughts.

Pulling himself away from his inner dilemma, the hunter knocked on the door to the Corps Head's office, eager to just get their talk done and over with. It only took a moment for the man within to reply, and Wes took one more deep breath before stepping into the room.

"Ah, Mr. Wesley Adler. What a pleasure to see you on your feet again," Balestra said, his tone just as flat and stoic as ever. He appeared a fair bit more worn and weary than the last time Wes had seen him, but that was to be expected. He'd probably been working as hard as ever for the past three months, after all.

"It's good to be on my feet again, Sir," the hunter replied, trying to hide a wince at the additional last word. Just because he was playing up his act to keep in good favor didn't mean he enjoyed it, but he would have to swallow his pride this time around. Not to mention the fact that he just heard Balestra use his full name… That was something only his mother ever did, and only when he had _really _screwed up.

"I see you've at least changed your tone since your run-in with the Silver Rathalos… Please, do come and take a seat so we may talk."

The man gestured towards the chair in front of his desk, and after a moment's hesitation, Wes approached and sat down. As he strode across the room, Wes couldn't help but feel the man's crimson eyes boring into his skull, a feeling he experienced almost any time he had spoken with the Corps Head before.

"So… what's this all about?" the blue- and green-eyed hunter asked, leaning back in the chair in an effort to get more comfortable.

"While I suppose it is obvious enough from the contextual details, I called you here to discuss your stance within the Master Corps, " Balestra replied, resting his elbows on his desk. "The results of your last assignment were truly and utterly abysmal, as I'm sure you've learned."

"Yeah… No arguments about that from me…"

"…I won't lecture you on the merits of teamwork and the like, as I've heard you have already met with several of your acquaintances about those matters already. I will say, though, that your actions will not be without consequence. You alone nearly doomed the entire quest, as well as the lives of an entire group of hunters in a vain effort to display your prowess. I do not condemn you for wishing to 'show off' in the eyes of your comrades, but the other implications behind the action are why you are in the situation you are now."

"I understand, Sir. Might I-"

"Before you attempt to justify your rationale, I will say that you are not being removed from your position in the Master Corps."

"…Oh." Wes was actually dumbstruck; he'd gone in expecting to have to argue why he should stay, but he was already off the hook! But… didn't Balestra say there would still be consequences? He'd have to try and get as much information as he could… "Might I ask why you were able to make that decision?"

"The simple answer would be that I have had much time to go over the details, Mr. Wes. While our quest reports have indicated you do have an affinity for additional flare and a desire for attention in the field, as well as some reports of difficulties working in a team, I have also seen you deliver positive results time and time again. Most assignments you have gone on up until this point have exceeded my expectations, to the point where I would say you might have the best record in the Corps. The only one who outright exceeds your success rate is Mr. Frost.

"While this most recent assignment could only be described as a disaster, you did still secure the magma ruby and escape the area with all members of the team alive. According to Ms. Sapphire's report, you were willing to pass the ruby to her and fend off the pursuing Rathalos. While she didn't provide an accurate description about _how _you managed to best a Silver Rathalos in mid-air combat, it is clear based on the information we have that you were not only able to defend the airship and secure the lives of your comrades, but your own as well. Such a display matched up with your previous results relatively well, despite the borderline-impossibility of such a feat."

"So… basically I'm still in because I completed the job?" Wes asked, blinking twice to refocus his attention. Even after all this time, he still found it hard to stay tuned in whenever Balestra went off on one of his tangents… Though he considered that was to be expected, considering it might as well have only been three days for him.

"…In short, yes," the man sighed. Wes assumed the Corps Head realized the hunter hadn't paid complete attention, and awkwardly scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "However, as I stated before, even this success had a price. Not everything went as it should, and one of the quest objectives- namely, stealth- was failed. This resulted in the near-decimation of a nearby village by the Rath's gold-scaled mate. It required another team of hunters assisted by a master hunter to slay that beast, but the entire issue directly links back to your actions. And so, there will be consequences."

Wes flinched at the news. He hadn't heard that particular tidbit before now, and knowing that his actions had caused that much damage... He felt that he should be more surprised, though for some reason he didn't feel nearly as shocked as he thought he should be.

"Alright, well… What are those exactly? What'll I have to do?"

"I have been preparing an assignment for you to complete for the last few weeks, though unfortunately there are a few developments that need to occur before I can allow that. So, I have another… proposition of sorts. I have two urgent quests that need to be completed posthaste. However, you may only embark on one of them, as the timeframe they are to be completed in overlap with each other. You may choose one quest… and then you must decide who to send on the other."

"…Excuse me? You're… you want _me _to pick who's going on a quest?!"

"That is the idea, correct."

"But… I don't have any qualifications for something like that! I barely know anyone outside of maybe a dozen people with who work well together! How will I make a team with only that information?!"

"It seems you've narrowed your choices down substantially already," Balestra replied calmly. It was then that Wes realized what he was getting at.

"…You want me to pick which of my friends to send on this quest?"

"I did not say one of them specifically. You may choose whomever you wish. I leave the decision purely to you."

The hunter dipped his head and brought his hand to his chin in thought.

_Sly bastard… He wants me to pick my friends! Then, whoever's left over will be on my team… He expects me to pick from Frost, Snow, Viper, and the Gem Sisters… Bah, not like I have much other choice though… Only other options I have are Arroyo, Tara, Ishmael, Grant, and Kat. Considering Arroyo's penchant for doing his own thing, Tara's personality, the fact that Ishmael's brother died on a hunt I was involved in, and Grant being... well, Grant, only Kat would be a good choice out of that lot, and I haven't even seen her since I woke up. _

_So I think it would be best to try and stick with the main group. Frost and Snow are the best duo available, so it'd be best if I kept them together. Viper doesn't get along well with Ruby or Emerald either, so I'd have to make sure to keep them separate if I wanted them to work well… _

_But I need to take into account both who's angry with me and who I work well with too. Let's see… Sapphire and Snow are probably who I'll be best with, but that team has a real lack of range and hitting power, considering all the small weapons… Amethyst would be a good pick, since she didn't seem too angry with me, but I'd best be cautious picking any of the Gems while Ruby's still miffed at me. Viper would probably be a good choice for my team too, if only because I know how he moves in the field. It'd help that I might earn his trust back too. I suppose a hunt would be the best way to do that… Wait a minute!_

"What exactly are the targets of these hunts?" Wes asked quickly. "I don't recall you bringing that up."

"Did I not? How perceptive of you." The man reached over and grabbed a pair of files off the top of the stack to his left, setting both down in front of the hunter side by side. One was labelled 'Sol', the other 'Lune'.

"These contain the two quests I informed you about. You may read them both, but the first one you pick up will be the one you join. Choose carefully, Mr. Wes."

_Urk… Now he's really testing me… Alright, let's see here… Sol probably references the sun, so it'll be a day time quest. He said it would overlap with the other one though, so chances are Lune is a late afternoon assignment. Sol and Lune… those names have to be more important than just telling the time of day. Where have I heard those words before… Wait, of course! The Silver Sol and the Golden Lune! Those are the monikers for Silver Rathalos and Gold Rathian, as well as their armor sets! Does that mean these quests are directed towards a Gold and Silver Rath? That would make the most sense by far…_

_Alright, so I've got that figured out. I don't think I should target a Silver Rath, since that would make it seem like I'm just out for revenge. Guess that leaves Lune… a Gold Rathian. I'll need some heavy hitters on the job, so out of the others, Frost and Ruby are my best picks. However, I can't leave the others to handle a Silver Rathalos without that same kind of attack strength, so I should only pick one. Frost and Snow should definitely stay on the same team, but Emerald and Viper shouldn't be, which means I'll have to pick one of them too… Sapphire would have to be on the other team if I pick Frost and Snow so there'd be room for Viper or Emmy… Alright, I think I've got this all figured out now._

"Okay, I'll make my choice," Wes said at last, looking up at the crimson-eyed man.

"I hope you've put an adequate amount of thought into this, Mr. Wes. What assignment will you choose?"

"I'll take Lune," the hunter said, reaching out and taking hold of the file. "The ones who'll go on the Sol hunt will be Emerald, Amethyst, Frost, and Snow."

"My, it seems like you know what to expect from these assignments," Balestra mused, raising one of his eyebrows curiously. "…Or do you?"

"It was pretty obvious from the titles that it'd be Raths. Frost and Snow are an effective melee team, and I've seen Emerald and Amethyst fight at range extremely well. They'll have all grounds covered for a Silver Rathalos. And that leaves Viper, Ruby, and Sapphire for my team. Since Viper and I both have a lot of experience working traps against monsters, and Ruby and Sapphire have a good combo rhythm together, it'll help us fight the Gold Rathian by outpacing it."

"Hmm… It would seem you have made quite the effort in organizing your team as well. I did say that you wouldn't have a choice in who joins you, didn't I?"

"…Er…" Wes' face paled at the thought; he'd been so busy worrying about Balestra trying to force him into picking only his friends that he'd blundered right into that!

"Ah, not to worry. I commend your zeal, at the very least. Perhaps I will consider it. However, you have made one more crucial error in your thought process, Mr. Wes. You haven't actually opened the folders to ascertain the targets yet."

The hunter blinked twice in surprise before glancing at the document in his hand. But… Lune had to mean Golden Lune! What else could it refer to? Was the Corps Head just bluffing? If Wes had guessed wrong about the targets though, he may have just made things much harder for himself and the others… Wes swallowed nervously before undoing the binding around the Lune folder and opening it up. He barely withheld a surprised gasp at the sight of the target; it wasn't a Golden Rathian. It wasn't a Rathian _at all._

"_Hades?! _That giant Stygian Zinogre from the Tundra?!"

"Indeed. After your assignment with the late Mr. Jeremy, the creature went into hiding to nurse its wounds. It was recently sighted in the badlands east of the Volcano, not far from where it was first sighted almost a year ago. There's a village on the edge of the hunting grounds that lies directly between its known path, so you are to intercept it and slay the beast before it can destroy the town."

"But what connection does a Stygian Zinogre have with the word 'Lune'?!"

"Admittedly, very little. However, it is often said that Zinogres howl at a full moon, and the Stygian subspecies is often portrayed as a creature that thrives in the dead of night. The moon is associated with both, hence the term 'Lune'."

_Shit… That thing was way faster than a Rathian could ever be! My team will be at a huge disadvantage… _

"What's the other quest target?" Wes asked, his eyes shifting over to the other document. He knew that he would have to go after Hades whether he liked it or not, but if he was wrong about the other quest too…

"There was no trickery involved with that one. The target is indeed a Silver Rathalos. Actually, the same Silver Rathalos that you fought at the Tower. It relocated to a different tower in the southern isles, about four hundred miles from Moga Village. The closer villages are concerned the beast may attack without warning, and requested a preemptive strike on the beast before it could threaten them."

_Whew… At least Amethyst will know what they're up against then… And Ruby, Saph and I have experience against Hades at the very least, so things aren't as bad as they might have been. Ruby will probably kill me when she finds out I picked her for my team –if she's going to come along, anyways- but my options are pretty limited at this point… Guess this'll have to be step one in regaining the others' trust._

"Will the Sol team know that I was the one who assigned them to the task?"

"Unless you wish to tell them yourself, I have no inclination to inform them. Your reasoning seems sound enough, though time will tell if your decisions were the right ones. I am a fair man, though: I will consider adhering to the team you selected for yourself, though I cannot guarantee it will be exactly what you envisioned."

Wes wasn't sure whether to let out a sigh of relief or a groan of disappointment at the news. Thinking back, Ruby was definitely not going to be pleased being put on the same team as him, if she were at all. Still, Sapphire managed to help keep Ruby's head cool whenever they were together, so maybe choosing them was a good idea after all. So long as Sapphire wasn't cut either... And Viper… they'd fought alongside each other enough in the past to work well on the field, but Wes would have to make sure he didn't block any of the archer's shots again.

"Ah, and one more piece of good news for you… I have been authorized to assign one Master Hunter to each team as well. I already sent word ahead to both of them that there will be assignments for them, so they will know when to be ready. Both jobs take place in two days. Make sure you are sufficiently rested and recovered, Mr. Wes. I would despise losing a gifted member of the Corps such as yourself…"

"…Er… Thank you, Sir…" Wes replied slowly, feeling troubled. What was Balestra's intentions? First he talked about how badly he had screwed up, then about his strengths, then he forced him into a test of wits, and now the Corps Head was praising him? For whatever reason, Wes couldn't shake the feeling that Balestra was toying with him… Come to think of it, why were both quest targets monsters he had fought before? It was oddly specific…

"Now then, I am afraid that there are other matters that demand my attention at the moment," the crimson-eyed man stated, slowly pushing himself to his feet. A moment later, Wes stood as well, knowing that he was being dismissed. These would be questions he'd need answers for later, it seemed. "Again, it is good to see you well, Mr. Adler. I wish you luck on your next assignment. Good day to you."

"Yeah… Thanks."

* * *

_Well, that was quite the conversation!_

_Silver?! Gods damn it all, I could've used your help with all that planning! I practically had to rake my brain to get all of those details together, and I still screwed up!_

_I specifically remember YOU asking for me to keep out of the way this time around. Maybe next time you'll treat your imaginary little buddy with a bit more respect?_

_Like I'd show respect to a figment of my imagination…_

_And you wonder why I'm so snarky?_

_Silver…_

_Hah, easy now! No need to give yourself a migraine. Actually, there's really nothing for you to be worked up over in the first place, Mr. Wesley Adler-_

_Don't. Call me. That._

_Right, anyways, there's nothing for you to get your britches in a bunch over. While you might not have heard the gentle, soothing presence of my lovely voice, I was still helping you sort out all that information from behind the scenes. I mean, think about it; have you ever thought that much about anything before? And this isn't counting our fireside chats, by the way. And remember that little bit about the village? Three guessed who kept you from freaking out about that, and the first two don't count._

_While I don't have any reason to doubt you, I'm still blaming you for those mistakes. _

_Okay, now how in the seven hells was I supposed to know that a full moon was coming up? That's the only reason that assignment got the name it had. A Gold Rathian was far more likely, considering your last hunt. And you haven't exactly gone stargazing since you woke up, so forgive me for not keeping track of the lunar cycle. But, I guess there's really no point in me arguing all of this. It is your mind, after all, so technically only you made the mistakes. But hey, they weren't really that bad, right?_

_I really hate when you're right…_

_Knowing is half the battle, my friend. The other half is brutally chopping the opposition into tiny bits of hamburger!_

_Okay, now that's just plain messed up… If you're this crazy, I'd hate to think about how screwy I'd be if you hadn't popped into existence. _

_Well, that could be taken as a compliment or an insult, so I'll just assume the former and say 'without me, you'd be the next psycho-axe murderer like in all those old horror novels you read'. _

_Please don't remind me of those. It's weird enough sleeping as is, but nightmares won't help either._

_Hah, right, sorry. Actually, I'm not sorry, but because I'm a nice guy, I won't mention it again. So long as you restock on Moga Java, at least; running kinda low in here._

_Yeah... Thanks._

Letting out a weary sigh, Wes pulled a more casual white shirt on, having tossed the finer navy blue one onto the back of his chair. He debated going back out into the training yard for another session, but he could still feel some pangs of exhaustion from earlier, so he decided against it. While he was anxious to get himself back in shape, dropping dead from exhaustion would not help him do that, and even he knew his limits.

"Maybe I'll see if anyone wants to go to the tavern for a bite to eat," he mumbled, grabbing hold of a blue, hooded vest and pulling it on. It was a newer article of clothing that his mother had left for him while he was unconscious, and while he wasn't exactly the kind of guy to worry after appearances, he couldn't deny that he looked good in this outfit.

_Alright, enough self-admiration, Wes. Get some food._

_Yeah, yeah, whatever… Wait, weren't you the one going on about how I needed to have flashier clothes on earlier?_

_Eh, consistency isn't really my spiel._

The blonde-haired hunter pulled himself away from his mirror and left his room, heading down to the lower floors. He had considered inviting Sapphire along, but he had seen her leave for another assignment earlier that day, and she probably wasn't back in Loc Lac yet. And then, of course, there was the matter of Ruby… He figured it might be for the best if he tried to interact with the Gem Sisters as little as possible, at least until she cooled her head a bit more.

And so, he brought himself to Viper's room. Getting a head start in fixing things up with him would be the most sensible choice he could make at this point, especially since they would be going on another job within a few days.

"Hey, Viper, you in there?" the dual blade wielder asked, rapping his knuckles on the door.

"Door's open!" the archer replied from within, prompting the hunter to open the door and step inside. Wes raised an eyebrow as he spied a curtain hanging from the ceiling at the end of the short entry space, which cut off his view of the rest of the room. He heard repeated grunting and the squeaking of metal from within as well, leaving the hunter to question what was going on inside.

"Uh… Is this a bad time?"

"Not… At all…!"

"You sure? I mean, if you're… busy, I can come by later…"

"Seriously, it's fine… Just come in…!"

Wes took a deep breath to brace himself for the worst before moving the curtain over and stepping into the room proper, letting out a surprised gasp upon seeing what happened inside.

Not what was _happening_, since that was hardly an issue; Viper was merely doing pull-ups on the metal bar he had anchored into the wall a few months prior. But what left Wes completely flabbergasted was the state of the room. Each wall had no less than half a dozen holes punched into them, seeming to have been caused by arrowheads. His armor was messily hung up on an armor stand in the corner, looking as though it would fall over at any second. His desk was a mess of papers, pictures, and supplies for maintaining his bow, which was propped against the side of the table. One of his nightstands had a chunk of wood missing from the side, and his clothes and sheets were strewn across the floor.

"So, what's up?" Viper asked, dropping down from the bar with a short huff and stretching his arms, rolling his right shoulder a fair bit longer than the left.

"Since when did all of this happen?" Wes asked incredulously, looking around wide-eyed at the absolute mess around him. "It's like a tornado blew through, but decided to stay the night and take souvenirs off the walls! I mean, you aren't exactly the tidiest person I know, but this is a completely different level of messy."

"Er… Well, let's just say I attempted a few modifications and they didn't really work out too well. I figured putting some posters up would liven things up, and it'd look cooler if they were pinned up with arrows."

"Arrows with heads the size of your fist? Haven't you ever heard of a wall tack?"

"Eh, those just didn't have the same flare that I was going for."

"So you completely wrecked your room? You do realize that you're probably going to have to pay for all of this, right?"

"It's not nearly as bad as Parker's room. You were still unconscious, but he actually caused an explosion on the floor above us a few weeks back. These rooms are built tough."

"…_What?!"_

"Yeah, he was trying to make some kinda super-powered explosive, like a flash bomb and a sonic bomb in one, and-"

"What would be the point of- you know what, never mind," Wes sighed, waving his hand to change the subject. "I was going to head over to the tavern for lunch. You up for a meal?"

"Are you buying? "

"Okay, ha ha, you get the same pay as me. You can afford a fifty gold meal."

"Zenni."

"…What?"

"Zenni, not gold," Viper explained, pulling a small bronze coin from his pocket. "You were out during this too, but there was a country-wide currency change from gold to zenni. They're easier to manage, since they come in bills too."

"Let me get this straight… In the span of three months, the entire country managed to switch currency? What about exchange rates and taxes?! I still have a bag of gold sitting in my room!"

"Don't worry, it's actually a pretty easy swap. One gold is worth a hundred zenni. Makes prices seem way higher than they actually are, but it makes you feel richer too. We can hit up a bank to swap your gold on the way to the tavern. Sound good to you?"

"Better than having a forty pound bag of useless coins in my room… What's the new use for gold then? If it isn't currency, then they'll have to use it for something, right?"

"Who knows? Maybe decorations or something. I remember hearing that some noble wanted to have a gold statue made in his honor, but was afraid of someone carting it off to make it into a profit."

"But… someone could still do that! It's not like gold just became instantly worthless!"

"If I understood the mannerisms of the rich and stupid, I wouldn't have become a hunter, Wes," Viper chuckled, shrugging and going over to a small basket beside his equipment chest. "I'm gonna hit the shower before I go anywhere though. At least I did some laundry the other day…"

"Some?" Wes asked, glancing around at the mess of dirty clothing around the floor. "Why not all of it? No offense, but it's like you got a second rug in here, dude."

"Blame the asshole who decided to throw a paintball into every other machine in the laundromat! I swear, it's times like this where I miss being able to wash my clothes in the river…"

"Hah, you're starting to sound like my ma now! She always complained about having to get the salt out of the water whenever the machine my pa made broke down. At least he managed to fix it pretty quickly."

"Maybe we ought to get him out here to fix the elevator," Viper remarked, grabbing a fresh change of clothes and a towel from the basket. "You hear about what happened to Trance?"

"Yeah, I did. He really should learn to stay away from that thing already… No one else ever gets stuck in it but him."

"Supposedly he's started carrying a crowbar around with him in case it happens again. Not that I blame the guy… Anyways, gimme about ten minutes, and we can get rolling, alright?"

"Will do," the dual blade user replied, giving the archer a short wave and stepping away towards the door.

* * *

"Saph, behind you!"

The blue-haired huntress reacted quickly to her teammate's shout, spinning around and slamming the Jaggi that was attempting to bite her across the face with the round metal plate. Half a dozen of the small carnivores leapt towards her as she finished off the first one, but most of the group didn't even make it within range of her sword. A barrage of bowgun fire rained onto the group from above, downing four of the Jaggis almost instantly. The two that did make it to the huntress barely lasted a few seconds as she leapt out of the way of the first creature and thrust her blade into its chest before whipping the blue blade out and slicing the second carnivore's throat.

Sapphire breathed a short sigh of relief and slashed her sword to clear the blood off of it before sheathing it on the back of her belt. Despite how weak Jaggis were, a town just east of Loc Lac had been overwhelmed by a huge pack of the carnivores while its assigned hunters were dealing with a Sand Barioth farther north. Having only a few guards available, they sent a request for immediate aid, and her team was able to respond in minutes thanks to Captain Dustin's ship being prepped already. While this assignment never reached Balestra's ears, and as such wasn't actually a Corps-sanctioned task, she had been more than willing to volunteer.

"Thanks for the covering fire, Ammy," she stated cheerfully as the Arzuros-clad huntress climbed down from the roof she had taken position on.

"Yeah, no problem…"

The bowgunner let out a short yawn before collapsing the still-smoking barrel of her bowgun and slinging it over her shoulder. It was an updated model of her last weapon, now boasting the siege fire of heavy bowguns while retaining its rapid fire ability. By propping it up on a fold-out base, she was able to load a large magazine filled with normal shot up to the weapon, essentially giving her access to a small turret at the cost of not being able to move. While that would normally be a huge downside for such a feature, her position on the roof had done more than enough to keep her away from any of the Jaggis that could've drawn near. Almost three dozen of the creatures laid dead outside the village walls from her weapon alone.

"I didn't realize there were so many…" the short sword wielder murmured, gazing around at all of the carcasses. She'd heard that the Jaggi population had been increasing lately, but not by this much. And this wasn't even the only spot they had broken into the village from! "Alright, no time for a break yet! We've gotta go help out Emmy and Ishmael!"

"…Muh? Oh, right, that. Right behind you."

The huntresses made their way through the town as quickly as they could, running past row upon row of empty houses as they rushed towards the other two hunters. Fortunately, the townspeople had either evacuated the village via Captain Dustin's ship, or had taken up shelter in safe rooms beneath their homes, meaning they wouldn't have to worry about any civilians getting caught up in the attack.

It wasn't long before they heard the other two hunters shouting at each other in the heat of battle a few blocks away, prompting Saph and Ammy to rush towards the sound of fighting.

"Three o'clock, slug man! Keep an eye out next time!" Emerald shouted, launching an arrow into one of the beast's skulls before it could attack the Gigginox-clad dual blade wielder.

"You could cut back on the name calling, y'know!" Ishmael retorted, whipping his curved blade at another Jaggi, sending it careening back with a spray of blood before countering another one with his J-shaped sword, slitting its throat instantly.

"Gimme a reason why I shouldn't! It's your fault for wearing those funky-ass clothes anyways!"

"Shut up and shoot the damn things! Blast, where did they all _come from?!" _

Upon seeing just how outnumbered the pair was, Saph rushed towards them and pulled a flash bomb out of her pouch, while Amethyst took to the roofs once more to begin setting her bowgun up.

"Hey, cover your eyes! I'm throwing a hot one!" she called, pulling the pin from the canister and chucking it past the pair of hunters, striking one of the carnivores between the eyes with it. Emerald just barely managed to bring her arm up to shield her face from the flash, while Ishmael pulled his hood around to act as a barrier instead. The resulting flash drew a cacophony of yelps and barks from the pack as the flare of light blinded them. As the light died down, Sapphire pulled her shield away from her face to see the result of the flash; to her pleasure, the majority of the pack had been blinded, leaving only a few stragglers in the back unaffected.

"Nice throw, Saph! Now let's show these little buggers why they shouldn't screw around with the Gems!" Emerald said, an aggressive smile crossing her face as she flipped her bow closed and hung it over her back, pulling out a pair of arrows to use as close range weapons instead. The green-haired archer immediately leapt into the pack, swinging her improvised weapons every which way as she cut through the carnivores.

"Bah, no need to hog all the fun," Ishmael snarled, rushing in to join the huntress in dealing with the ankle biters.

"Hey… Try not to get in the way of my bullets…" Ammy lazily called out, having finished setting up her bowgun. Without even waiting for a reply, the purple-haired bowgunner opened fire on the crowd of colorful bird wyverns below, her bowgun letting out a long string of cracks as each bullet left the barrel. Sapphire took a step forwards to go and join in on the others' assault, but a number of loud stomps behind her prompted the blue-haired huntress to whip her head around to see the source.

It was the pack leader at last! It looked a fair bit larger than the average Great Jaggi, and based on the number of scars it had, it must've been a reasonably old member of its species. It was staring her down hungrily from the middle of the street, growling as it did. It looked far more ferocious than other Great Jaggis, she had to admit, but it _was_ just a Great Jaggi. Saph had been able to solo these things for years, as had most hunters who graduated from the academy. This would be an easy fight.

"Well, hey there, tough guy! Ready to get your butt whooped into next week?!"

The beast responded with an angered roar and ran towards her, its sharp claws clicking against the brick street audibly as it approached. Sapphire leapt to the side to avoid its coming lunge, sliding around its flank and slashing it twice as she came to a stop. The huntress whipped her shield up in anticipation for the pack leader to swing its tail at her, a prediction which luckily came true. The moment before the appendage connected with the metal plate, she shoved her arm forwards, repelling the attack and actually causing the wyvern to stumble in order to keep its balance.

Capitalizing on this, the Lagombi-armored huntress jumped through the air towards the monster, blade held high above her head. She brought her sword down right as she landed, using her momentum to deliver a powerful blow to the beast's side. The force of the swing, combined with the pack leader's already unstable footing, lead to the Great Jaggi toppling over onto a nearby fruit stand. Sapphire winced a little as the stall splintered under the monster's weight, sending all sorts of colorful fruits rolling away in every direction.

"I really hope I won't have to pay for that," she sighed as a watermelon bumped into her foot. At the sight of the head-sized fruit, an idea sprang into the huntress' head, and she sheathed her sword to heft the melon in her free hand.

The Great Jaggi angrily rolled to its feet, shaking fruit juice off of its hide as it turned to face the huntress, rearing its head in preparation to roar at her again. The second its mouth began to open, Sapphire drew her arm back and flung the melon at the beast's head with a confident smile. Her aim was perfect; the large green fruit found its mark directly in the pack leader's throat, causing it to gag and howl in surprise as its windpipe was suddenly blocked.

The Great Jaggi attempted to cough the obstruction free from its throat, but Sapphire didn't give it much of a chance, rushing the beast while it was distracted. Her blue sword firmly in her grasp, the huntress let out a shout with each attack; her first strike was across the Jaggi's face with the sword, cutting a thin line across its head. The wyvern tried to strike her with its head in retaliation, but Saph slammed her shield into the side of its skull, dazing the creature and stopping it in its tracks. She darted around to its side and dealt another two slashes to its injured leg before taking a step back and flipping her sword into a reverse grip.

The huntress lunged forwards and jumped into the air, landing a powerful underhanded slash on the beast's side as she rose into the air above it. The damage was enough to knock the beast over once again, leaving its torso exposed. With a quick spin, Sapphire righted herself and began to descend on the beast, thrusting her sword downwards as she neared. The tip of her sword easily pierced through the monster's hide, and the momentum of her fall gave it enough force to break through the pack leader's ribcage and stab through its heart and lungs, dealing a fatal wound almost instantly.

"Booyah!" she yelled triumphantly, pulling her blade free from the carcass as its last breath escaped past the fruit lodged in its throat. "I hereby dub myself 'Melon Warrior'!"

"Okay, calm down a touch, Saph," Emerald laughed, patting her on the shoulder from behind. The blue-haired huntress turned around to face her friend, but first saw that the others had already decimated the entire pack, leaving only a few stragglers to run off back into the wilds. "It was a good throw and all, but someone might take that title the wrong way, kiddo."

"Oh, come on! That'll make for a great story!" she protested. "I mean, did you see the arc of that throw? I probably could've pelted it to death with fruit! That'd have been the coolest fight _ever!"_

"Right, but I didn't mean… Look, let's just say that 'melons' doesn't always refer to the fruit and leave it at that, okay?"

"Did someone say melons…?" Amethyst asked, prompting the huntresses to look in her direction. The purple-haired huntress had picked up one of the apples that had rolled away from the stand, and was currently halfway through eating it. "This is pretty good fruit…"

"Ammy, put that down! We can't just go around eating their fruit without asking! Especially not _off the ground_!"

"Sorry… Did you want some? It's really sweet…"

"Are you even listening to me?!"

Sapphire let out a short giggle as Emerald continued to admonish the bowgunner for nabbing the fruit. She turned her gaze to the side, seeing Ishmael sitting over by another one of the stalls away from the trio, sharpening his swords. He'd already thrown down a flare signaling that the Jaggis were taken care of, but he didn't seem at all pleased by this. After a moment's hesitation, the short sword wielder made her way over to the Gigginox-clad man, putting on a cheery smile as she neared him.

"Heya, Ishmael! You doing alright?"

"Just great, Saph," he replied bluntly, not looking up from his blade. "I'm doing just _perfect_."

"…Er… Well, judging from your tone, I'll just assume that was sarcasm… Is something bugging you?"

"Nope. Nothing new, at least," the man sighed, tossing his spent whetstone to the ground and sheathing his sword across his back. "…Look, I'm just not in the mood to talk, alright?"

"Well, why not? I don't mean to pry, but you haven't really seemed yourself for a while."

The hunter sighed as he pushed himself to his feet. "I miss my brother, alright? Years ago when we first started hunting, we used to take down packs of Jaggi just like this all the time. He helped me make my first pair of dual swords and I helped him get the parts to fix up his great sword. There was a time where we had matching sets, y'know? He'd pick fights with others when they were being jerks to me and I'd bust a few heads when people made comments behind his back. And even then, we could still brawl with each other without any lasting issues. We were close. Really close.

"But... When I heard that he had gotten killed on the job, I could hardly believe my ears. You never expect that each day might be the last one you see a person you care about, and I hadn't thought about that at all. I just thought I'd see him at the end of the day, just like all the other times before. But he didn't. My bro was gone for good. And he's been gone for months, yet I still think back and wonder how things could've played out better for him. If he hadn't decided to try and be a hero, he would have survived."

"But… If Curt hadn't done what he did, Wes would have died instead!" Sapphire argued. "I get why it upsets you, but… it isn't right to think that someone else should have taken his place. And I can't think of a better way to go out than saving someone else's life."

"I don't deny that. Given the scenario they were in, it wasn't likely that all of them would have made it out alive. I know he wasn't exactly the best human being on the planet, but he was still my brother. And I can't help but feel like the sacrifice he made fell on deaf ears…"

"Huh?"

"You should know full well what I mean, Saph," Ishmael huffed. "Everyone does. Wes screwing up on his last assignment? Nearly getting everyone with him killed? I planned on forgiving Wes for Curt's death, since it wasn't really his fault, but then I hear about that incident, and I can't help but wonder if he even really cared at all. My brother _died _for him, and how does he repay that? By almost letting himself and three others die instead? I still can hardly bring myself to look at him as a friend, let alone a comrade."

"Well… I'm not him, so I can't really argue what he believed, but I doubt that Wes doesn't care about what Curt did for him. It isn't like every lesson a person learns can be remembered in one second, after all. We all make our mistakes, and we all try to learn from them, but if you can't forgive him for slipping up every now and then, is that really fair?"

"Is it fair that him 'slipping up' almost got you killed too? Maybe you do have a point, but it doesn't change my mind in the slightest. Why do you even trust him that much though? You of all people should have enough reason to be angry with him."

"I… well... I mean, he's always honest when he talks with me, and he's actually really nice. Wes is almost a completely different guy when he's off the job, y'know? And he's a great fighter out there too! I know he doesn't always show it either, but he does care about his teammates. He just… loses himself sometimes."

"I haven't talked with him enough to come to that conclusion myself, but that would explain why you've been defending him this entire time, aside from the more obvious reasons…"

"Just because I like him like that doesn't mean I can't form a rational opinion about this," the huntress pouted, though she still felt her cheeks flush a little at the mention of the dual blade wielder.

"Mmhmm. No offense, but I find that a bit hard to believe, Saph. Especially not after that fairy tale you whipped up about him fighting the Silver Rathalos in midair. How would you have even been able to see all of that?"

Before the blue-haired huntress could speak up, though, a loud gong sounded from the other side of town. The pair turned, seeing the tall mast and white sails of the _Resplendent Law _over the tops of the roofs.

"Guess that's our cue," Ishmael stated, walking past the huntress and towards the docks.

"Guess so," she sighed, following after the Gigginox-clad hunter. She supposed that her affection for Wes was rather obvious, but there was more to it than just physical attraction, not that anyone else realized that.

* * *

Wes was greeted by the familiar sight of the interior of the Tusk-Horn Tavern as he stepped inside of the establishment. It'd been a pretty long time since he'd come here last, despite feeling like it had only been about a week or so. He'd missed the name of the tavern the first few times he had come here with the others, since the sign above the door had been so worn out from the desert winds, but it appeared to have been completely replaced now. Much of the interior had gotten the same treatment, and instead of the old earthy-brown atmosphere that first permeated the building, there was a foresty-green one instead. This was where he and Viper had gone for a bite to eat almost a year ago when they first started in the Corps, and where he'd gotten into his first bar fight in Loc Lac.

"Well, this looks different, almost like a new place," the dual blade wielder remarked, glancing around the inside for a place to sit. The place was packed with hunters, mercenaries, travelers, merchants, and anyone else who could fill in the gaps. There was a lot of open space nearby the counter, which also doubled as a spot for the hunters to sign up for quests, but the only table they could see available was wedged over along the far wall.

"Business has picked up a lot," Viper said, stepping past him and making his way towards the table. "It's probably weird for you seeing everything all changed around here, huh?"

"Like you wouldn't believe. Did they replace that barrel I broke? I remember one of the hunters here complaining about it being his 'lucky arm wrestling barrel' or something…"

"Everything's pretty much new. Tables, chairs, etcetera, etcetera… Hell, they even replaced the lights with glowstones."

"Seriously? Aren't those extremely rare? How'd a three-star tavern manage to get ahold of those?"

"I won't lie, I had a pretty big part in that," the archer replied, reaching the table and taking a seat, followed shortly by Wes. "See, there was this whole incident about… let's say a month ago. You know that new country out in the east?"

"_There's a new country too?!" _Wes exclaimed disbelievingly. "Just how much did I miss out on?!"

"A lot, actually," Viper chuckled. "I'll fill you in later, but you should see the hunters out there! Crazy bastards, jumping off cliffs... Anyways, apparently there's an abundant supply of glowstones over there, and they were willing to trade with Venatoria- us, in case you forgot- if we could help them handle a situation at their primary trading post with us."

"What kind of situation?"

"Remember your good pal from the arena fight, Gear Rex? Well, his brothers have been moving around like mosquitos after a rainstorm. One apparently crossed the border, and the people had no idea how to react when it came knocking on their front door. So, we went over and took care of it for them. Really helped open up trade for the city, I'll tell you that much, even if they were a little sour about the damage to the city walls."

"Damn, I really have been missing out," Wes sighed. "I'm out for three months and the entire world practically flips over on itself! And that's not even taking into account these 'zenni' things…"

"You'll get used to it before too long. Ah, and here comes our lovely waitress now!"

"How's it going, Viper?" a woman in a green work uniform asked. It was similar to the ones Guild liaisons wore, but noticeably included an apron and had short sleeves. "Who's your friend?"

"Sophitia, this is my buddy Wes," the golden-eyed man said, gesturing towards him. "He's in the Master Corps with me. Remember that story I told you about the scar on my shoulder? He was... out of commission from that same hunt, just for a lot longer."

"Oh, so you're the guy who fought the Rathalos in mid-air? ...And almost got everyone killed?"

"Er… Yeah, I... guess," the blonde-haired hunter replied after a moment, scratching the back of his head awkwardly at the mention of the ill-fated hunt. He half expected to hear another earful about it all, but was rather surprised when the waitress let out a giddy laugh.

"A lot of people have been telling stories about that hunt around here, you know! You're like a minor celebrity, Wes!"

"…What?" That was the last thing he'd expected anyone to tell him after all of this! So far, he'd just heard about how stupid he was for making a mistake like that, or got punched in the face, but this was a nice change of pace! Though he still felt awkward hearing this from a woman. He'd have to work on that a bit more, it seemed. "Uh, not that I don't appreciate the praise, but… why?"

"Clearly you forgot the Rathalos' are called the Kings of the Skies," Viper said, chuckling at the dual blade user's awkward responses. "The fact that you fought one in free fall and survived basically means that you outdid one in its own turf."

"Or that I was lucky as hell that I caught a parachute on the way down…" he muttered, recalling how narrowly he'd escaped the encounter with his life. He _had _almost killed the Rath, but its mate had cut in right before he could deal the finishing blow, almost taking him out as well. Maybe that was where he'd gotten struck in the head…

_Yeah, it probably was._

_Not now, Silver._

"In any case, people are saying you're a contender for the title of King of the Skies now," Sophitia said. "It's kind of a big deal!"

"Oh man," the hunter sighed, resting his forehead in his palm. "I really don't know if I should be glad or terrified of that…"

"Well, it isn't _entirely _that good; there are plenty of people who think you're the biggest liar in history, and that you should quit being a hunter, and that you should earn less pay, but who wants to hear about that bad stuff, right?"

"...Thanks..." Wes groaned, hiding his paling face in his hand. "I feel better about it already..."

"Well, on that dry note, how about I start you off with some drinks? I know you guys probably didn't come to a restaurant to chat up waitresses all day, huh?"

"Not the worst way to spend time, mind you," Viper smirked, nodding at the woman. "I'll take a Master Cola."

"Water's fine for me."

"Make it two Colas then."

"Wait, why-"

"Alright, I'll be right out with those!" the waitress smirked, writing their order down on a notepad before scurrying off to the kitchen.

"Why did you order two?" Wes asked, turning to face the archer with a raised eyebrow.

"I think you just need to loosen up a little is all. I think you've almost been taking things _too _seriously now. Bit of alcohol will fix you right up!"

"Whattya mean I've been too serious? I've been dealing with constant backlash from people since the day I woke up! I'm lucky if I just get a quick punch in the face! I feel that being serious about these things is a completely acceptable reaction!"

"That's not what I meant, Wes. Sure, you can handle all of this crap you're going through as maturely as you want, but you haven't been giving yourself any breaks either. I could literally see a puddle of your sweat out on the training grounds yesterday, man. Not only that, but you barely talk with anyone unless they approach you. How many times have you talked to me since you first woke up?"

"Er… once?"

"And that was just a passing 'hey'. I told you that you had to prove yourself as a better friend too, remember?"

"I can never win," Wes bemoaned, letting his forehead knock against the table below in his exasperation.

_Whoa, easy there! I'm tryin' to pick this place up, so stop throwing everything around by slamming your head into things! _Silver's voice echoed, causing the hunter to sigh once more.

"You're acting like having a drink is a bad thing, Wes. Come to think of it, I've never seen you drink a drop of booze before! You got a family history or something?"

"You could say that..." Wes always remembered hearing stories about his mother's legendarily small tolerance for alcohol, and combined with the knowledge that he used to talk in his sleep, he decided it would be in everyone's best interest if he kept some distance between himself and a tankard. "But let's go back to this waitress friend of yours; clearly you two are friends, but I've never seen her here before. Are you... together? Y'know, like... this?" Wes crossed his fingers in an attempt to further make his point, drawing a short laugh from the archer.

"Damn, you are really bad at these sorts of things, aren't you?"

"Alright, what is this, Pick on Wes Day? Just tell me the damn story."

"I'm just screwing with you, man! But it _is _a story worth telling! So, I come into the tavern, right? And there's this _huge _barrel of raw meat just sitting outside-"

_Behind you, to the left._

Wes blinked in surprise at Silver's sudden interjection.

_What? I'm kinda listening to-_

_If you don't want to get another fist rammed into your skull, you'll move right now!_

Wes barely took the time to register what the entity was going on about, the urgency in his voice compelling the hunter to twist his body to the side and lean over. Not a moment too soon, either, as a gauntleted fist slammed into the wall in front of their table, noticeably leaving a mark on the wooden wall. The hunter pulled his legs in quickly and rolled backwards off the bench in time to avoid a follow up stomp from his attacker, landing on all fours and glancing up.

"Well well, remember me, punk?!" the Diablos-armored man growled, pulling his foot off the bench and glowering at the dual blade wielder through his helmet.

"…Uh… I remember the armor, but I'm drawing a blank on your name," Wes admitted, pushing himself up. He saw that Viper had already gotten to his feet, though the archer didn't seem like he'd try to intervene at the moment; in fact, he looked more irritated at the interruption than upset.

"It's Varon!"

"…Oh, right! Yeah, sorry, not the most memorable name I've heard…"

"Shut your pot hole! Did you think I forgot about that humiliation you put me through?!" the man shouted, loudly enough to quiet down most every conversation in the tavern. "Well, I didn't, and I'm here for some pay back!"

"Hold on a sec," Wes said, taking a step back and raising his arm defensively as the man took one towards him. "What about that whole 'disturbing the peace' law?! Do you really feel like going to jail for something as petty as this?"

"Actually, that law was revoked," Viper spoke up, leaning around the tan-armored brute between them to talk with Wes more clearly. "City guard decided it was too much hassle having to send an entire squad after one hunter, so they stopped enforcing it two months ago."

"Gods, seriously?! Well, there goes that plan…"

"You wouldn't be getting out of this even if there was a law!" Varon snapped. "Now then, are you going to make this easier on yourself? I'm not making the same mistake I did last time we fought, punk," he said, motioning towards his helmet.

"Listen, I've had to deal with more punches to the face these last few days than any man should have to," the blue- and green-eyed hunter said. "Can't we just agree on an a convenient day or something? I have next Thursday off…"

"You aren't chickening out today, punk!" the man roared, pulling his fist back and throwing his fist at the hunter.

Wes raised his arms quickly to block, but it hadn't been necessary. There was a noticeable _thwap _as Varon's fist connected with something, but it hadn't been Wes that had been struck. It sounded like something had stopped the oncoming blow…

The dual blade wielder lowered his arms cautiously, seeing a tall figure standing between him and the Diablos-armored hunter. The guy was built like a tank, with rippling muscles showing beneath the fine red shirt he wore. His arms were like tree trunks, and his shoulders seemed broader than a mountain range at this distance. He had long, sandy blonde hair that fell to just above his shoulders, though it seemed like it had lost some color from age.

What impressed Wes the most though was that he hadn't just blocked Varon's punch; he had straight up caught his fist mid-swing! The armored hunter had dented a thick wood wall with a blow earlier, yet this man had stopped that same power in its tracks with barely an effort!

"What the-?! Who the hell are you?!" Varon growled, pushing his arm forwards as he struggled against the man. "This is between me and him, so stay out of it!"

"I would, but there's a bit of a problem with that," the man stated calmly. His voice was gruff and powerful, but it was still easy to make out what he said. Wes was struck by the familiarity of the voice, though, and let out a wide grin as the finally recognized just who the man was.

Varon continued to try and free his hand from his grasp, but he had little success in prying his fist away from the red-shirted guy's grasp. The man let out a short chuckle as he pulled his arm back, and before Varon could even react, the man slammed his unprotected fist straight into the hunter's face, helmet and all. The sheer force of the blow sent the man flying through the air backwards, drawing a few surprised yelps from the other bar goers as they moved out of the way. The only thing that kept the man from going any farther than he had was the wall he slammed into, almost twenty feet away from Wes and Viper's table. The Diablos-armored hunter stuck there for a moment before falling over forwards onto the ground, unconscious.

"No one screws with my nephew and gets away with it."

"Uncle! What the hell are you doing out here?" Wes asked, all of the tension from the encounter with Varon practically melting away. "That ritzy mansion get too stuffy for you?"

"What, can't a guy go out for a drink anymore?" the man laughed in reply, patting the hunter on the shoulder rather forcefully. "Here I thought it'd be nice to go back to the place I spent my early hunting years, but who do I find? You definitely look a hell of a lot better than you did a month ago, that's for sure."

"Uh… Wes?"

The dual blade wielder glanced over at Viper. The archer was propped up on the edge of the table, his eyes wide. He'd had to throw himself out of the way of Varon's body to avoid getting crushed, but he seemed to have barely recovered from the sight of a man wearing heavy armor getting thrown across the room like a ragdoll.

"Is this your… Uncle?"

"Oh, right, you've never met before, have you? Guess I get to be the one doing the introducing this time," Wes laughed. "Viper, this is Uncle Hugh."

* * *

**Author Notes: Please review! Sorry about how late this one was, I meant to post it last weekend, but... Well, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate came out and all, so... Yeah. Been playin' me summa dat (some may or may not equate to 100+ hours). I feel like I should probably be in G Rank at this point, but I've been sitting pretty at HR 6 for a few days now. I haven't had a steady internet connection at school, and I've been focusing on farming for new charge blade materials for a while now (not to mention the Legend of Zelda armor. Damn those Rajang tails and their apparent invincibility), so my collection is coming along quite well.**

**I've definitely been enjoying the direction this story had been taking. At first I felt I might've been straying a little from the initial plan I had, but I realize that if I hadn't done that I'd have lost out on a lot of exposition. Case in point, almost nothing that's actually happened for the last ten chapters would've happened originally, or at least not until much later. I will say that the pace will start to quicken a bit now; at least, well, it'll pick up more than my actual writing speed.**

**I still haven't decided what my favorite armor set of 4U is yet. I was using the Nerscylla armor early on (which most everyone was using as well. It's literally THE set to have for low rank) and I made Gore armor before realizing how awful its skills were for the long term. Then I went Arena crazy and made Guild Bard armor (colored the pigment black so it could match my Blackguard charge blade), which lasted me until I got a full set of Regios armor. I'll probably be making all sorts of new sets after hitting G Rank, but as of now my main objective is to upgrade my Guardsqual to a useable status so I can farm Rajang tails with it. **

**And I suppose I might as well say that if you wish to play online sometime, feel free to PM me for my friend code! **

**A while back while I was still in my artistic mood, I decided to redraw the main characters of TMC with "redesigns" of sorts. Basically, I altered some physical characteristics to make them more visually appealing. I only did the main four's heads (Wes, Viper, Frost, and Snow) though I'm debating if I should draw a few of the other characters, or if I should do full body drawings next. I did post the drawings to deviant art a while back, but I'll leave a link here for you all to look at them yourselves. I'm not a phenomenal artist or anything, but I'd like to say they aren't half bad.**

** assassin(hyphen)hunter77/art/TMC-Character-Headshots-512207714**

**Just replace the words between the parenthesis with the appropriate mark and there you go! **

**Another thing I've been debating is writing supplementary chapters for my stories, including Frontier Lineage and the Hunter's Oath trilogy. They'd be shorter than main chapters most likely, and probably more lighthearted in nature. Of course, some wouldn't even be really canonical with the story; I had a few ideas that I really want to do, but I can't unless I take some artistic freedoms with it all. If this is something that my faithful reader's would enjoy, though, I think I could start piecing a few things together in between TMC chapter writing. And editing other people's stories. And Monster Hunter... And college work... Well, I've certainly got a lot on my plate, huh? Or should I say, Rathalos Plate...**

**Playing: MH4U, Super Smash Bros., Hyrule Warriors, Assassin's Creed Unity**

**Reading: The Lost Civilization: DLC**

**Watching: Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Bob's Burgers**

**Listening To: Hyrule Warriors Soundtrack, Devil May Cry 3 OST, Avenged Sevenfold**


	20. Sun

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 20- Sun

"So, explain this to me again; why do we have to go down to the Science Department?"

"So I can get suited up for our hunt, of course!"

"But why don't you just wear your old Rathalos suit, Uncle? Pa went to all that trouble of strengthening it for you… You didn't wreck it, right? Or did you lose it in that mansion of yours?"

"Hah, trust me Wes, it's none of those things. I've been helping Joshua test a few of his inventions when I'm not out hunting for personal pleasure, and sometimes I take his designs out for a test run in the field! This time around, I'm helping him finalize an armor design."

"What kind of armor? And would the weapon be included with that? I didn't see that monstrosity of a great sword anywhere with you…"

"That's been handled as well, don't worry. I had these guys work on upgrading it with the Abyssal Lagiacrus parts we harvested after taking down that stinky sea devil a while back. No smith knows how to use those things yet, but the guys down here have a knack for figuring things out even better than York does sometimes... Crazy bastards."

The elevator dinged as it reached the basement floor, and the hunters stepped out into the Science Department. At least, it seemed like some _form _of science. Everyone seemed to be embroiled in their own little projects at their stations, while a seldom few had paired up into groups for bigger projects. The individual projects were many in scope; at one table, a frazzled-looking man was frantically swirling various concoctions together, only for an explosion of purple fumes to erupt from the beaker and leave him in a coughing fit, while at a table across the room, a woman was smashing a bunch of monster scales with a hammer, which Wes assumed was to try and break them down for further study, but only made the scientist appear psychotic.

_Crazy bastards is right… How everyone and everything down here hasn't exploded yet is beyond me._

_Be happy they haven't, Wes. If they did, they might take the entire building down with 'em. And I'm pretty sure you don't want to come tumbling down in a hail of debris in the middle of the night ever again._

_Touché. _

"Alright, Joshua's desk is way in the back," Hugh stated, pointing across the room. "Try not to get hit by any of these lunatics between here and there; once they're in work mode, it's way easier to avoid them than it is than it is for them to avoid you."

"You're telling me to watch out? You take up three times as much space as me alone!"

"Hah! You make it seem like that advice was meant for me, kiddo! I've handled worse than some funny-colored water!"

"Except when that water turns out to be skin-dissolving acid, right?"

"…You got a point there, but that doesn't mean I'm more likely to get knocked over than you are!"

"Whatever you say, Uncle Hugh," the dual blade wielder chuckled.

He had to admit, it had been far too long since he'd last seen the man. Hugh Leovirtus had been one of his father's closest hunting partners throughout his career, enough so that the man considered York and he brothers (and, while his Pa never outright admitted it, Wes knew that the feeling was mutual). While they weren't actually related by blood, Hugh still insisted on Wes referring to him as Uncle. Not that he didn't live up to the title, of course; Hugh cared about him almost as much as he did his own son, Cassian.

One of the biggest factors that contributed to their closeness was that Hugh owned a home big enough to accommodate several families at once. He'd been known for two things over the course of his hunting career: his nearly absurd level of strength, and his incredible luck. Almost every hunt he went on resulted in one or two rare monster stones or scales, items many others would search for weeks on end to get. It had reached the point where he had filled almost two boxes worth of the things and went around selling them off to whoever could afford them. He'd made enough money from that alone that he'd needed to purchase another two boxes and a wagon to carry it all home. He promptly bought the biggest, most extravagant house he could find, one that had been renovated from a five-star hunting lodge in western Loc Lac. Wes fondly remembered getting lost in the building numerous times in his youth when his mother and father brought him over to visit.

"Well, enough of this banter; we'd better get ready for this hunt of yours, after all!" the powerful hunter laughed, striding into the chaos of the science wing.

As it turned out, Hugh had been the master hunter assigned for the Lune mission alongside Wes and his team. Zephyr was originally going to accompany the group that pursued the Silver Rathalos, but his prosthetic arm had been acting up, meaning he wouldn't be able to fight as efficiently as normal. Still, Snow had said they could handle the hunt regardless, so her team had departed without the man not long ago. This meant that Wes and his team had about an hour to prepare themselves for their own hunt. Unfortunately, Ruby had been completely opposed to accompanying him on this job, and outright refused to allow herself or Sapphire to have any part in the mission. While she had also attempted to make her point known more directly, she hadn't managed to land any physical blows on him, as Silver was able to predict when she was about to lash out at him.

_I still don't entirely understand how you manage to do that, _Wes thought, focusing on the entity as he followed after the great sword user. _First with Varon at the tavern, and then with her? _

_It's not really anything more than your reflexes. You were already good enough at dodging as is, but you couldn't always predict what your attacker would do. All I do is give you a warning about what I think their next move will be, and poof, you don't get hit. _

_So what you're saying is that nothing will ever hit me now? Heh, well, that's a relief…_

_Don't get cocky, Wes. I said what I _think _the next attack will be, not what it _will be. _As much as I would love to say I'm a mystical all-seeing eye for you, even I can't see through every bluff or attack an enemy might try. I just make you more aware of things you take in, but normally don't act on. A twitch of the hand, narrowing of the eyes, giant crumbling stones from overhead… Things like that, which get lost in the moment when you're occupied by something else. And, I can also _not _give you those warnings and just let you get punched in the face next time, so don't think that you'll get off easy. Also, I'm not able to help you dodge verbal attacks, so you'll have to handle insults without me. Who'd have thought that Ruby's vocabulary was as colorful as the rest of her squad?_

_Yeah, yeah… You really take this seriously, don't you? For all the snarky quips, I mean._

_I never said I didn't. However, if you start lapsing into your old ways and get yourself killed, that doesn't exactly benefit either of us in the long run, now does it? There isn't exactly a spot in heaven waiting for an imaginary entity stuck inside a nineteen-year-old idiot's thick skull._

_I rest my case._

_By the way, you might want to duck._

Wes instantly lowered his head, just in time to avoid a platter holding several colorful beakers carried by one of the white-coated scientists. The guy didn't even break stride; he just kept moving along, muttering incoherently to himself about whatever formulas the liquids were made up of. It was like he hadn't even noticed the blonde-haired man!

"Guess Uncle Hugh wasn't joking," Wes muttered, continuing along his way until he and Hugh reached their destination.

"Joshua! It's been too long, ya egghead!" Hugh laughed, patting the orange-haired man on the shoulder roughly. The scientist was visibly shocked by the gesture, like he hadn't even seen them coming.

"Ah, Hugh, my old friend! Forgive me, but I was so invested in my studies that I didn't even see you approach!" Joshua said, straightening himself out and pushing himself up. "I take it you received my message then?"

"Yeah, I'm ready to get suited up. Brought Wes with me too, just like you asked."

"Wait, what?" the dual blade wielder asked. "You didn't say that I had to be here specifically, Uncle."

"Oh, I didn't? …Er… Hrmm, guess it musta slipped my mind."

"You sure you aren't going senile, old man?"

"Very funny, squirt. I'm not too old to keep up with the rest of you kids out on the grounds, I'll have you know!"

"Yes, well, aging mental states aside, I had a specific request for you, Wesley," Joshua interjected, readjusting the green-lensed goggles strapped to his forehead. "One of my weapon developers had need of someone with your particular skillset in the handling of a new design of his."

"A new weapon?" Wes asked excitedly. The use of his full name had initially made him cringe a little, but the idea of trying out a brand new weapon was more than enough to make him forget about it. "…Well, we've got to leave on a hunt in about an hour or so. Will there be enough time?"

"Certainly. We'll need a lot of that time to get Hugh set up in his new armor, after all. This researcher in particular has been working tirelessly on the design for several months now, and there were times where he even refused sleep to finish whatever piece he was working on. I will admit, even I was impressed by the fruit of his effort!"

"Alright, well, don't toy with the kid, Joshua," Hugh chuckled. "Call this guy over so we can get started on this armor! I'm normally not this excited about standing in one place for this long, but if what you said was true, then it'll be more than worth it."

"Ah, yes, forgive me. I do tend to get lost in my own thoughts… Monyreak! Your research assistant is present! Now then, let us get you situated, Hugh."

Wes looked after the pair as they walked off, but the sound of footsteps behind him prompted the hunter to turn around. The researcher behind him was carrying a large rectangular case in one hand, and a large folder in the other. He seemed fairly young, maybe thirty years old at most, and had straight black hair and brown eyes. His coat was open in the front, revealing a black suit beneath.

"So you're Wes then? A pleasure to meet you!" he said, setting the case down and grabbing the hunter's hand, shaking it quickly. "My name is Monyreak. I designed this weapon here, and I was hoping you might help me test it a bit."

"I'd be happy to," Wes replied with a grin. "What kind of weapon are we talking here? Is it a variant of an existing design, or is it original?"

"It's a bit of both, actually," Monyreak remarked, picking the case up and gesturing for the hunter to follow. The black-haired scientist led him around most of the chaos in the center of the department to a more subdued location, where a desk crammed high with papers and documents was located. A room with a large glass window stood to the left, probably to allow whoever was outside to observe what was going on inside.

"As I'm certain you are aware, the most recent addition to the arsenal of hunting weapons is the switch axe, a revolutionary weapon that combines the potential of a large axe and a heavy sword into one weapon, and giving it many other capabilities. This weapon focuses on that primary design of the switch axe: namely, transfiguration into separate forms of weapons."

"So, it's a switch axe variant then?"

"As I said, it could be considered that, but there's enough of a difference between this and that to make it an entirely new weapon." The man set the large rectangular box down on an empty table and brought a key to the lock on its lid. "I'll give you the honor of opening it up."

The man took a step back and clasped his hands together excitedly as Wes approached the box. He fit his fingers beneath the lid and lifted it up, the top half of the box flipping over and slamming down against the wood table beneath it. Wes raised an eyebrow at what lay inside.

It was a broadsword. Well, maybe broadsword wasn't the best way to describe it. It had a long handle, enough to accommodate two hands, with a wide V-shaped handguard more reminiscent of a claymore. The center of the grip had a noticeable rivet in it, and the pommel resembled a dial. The blade was about four and a half feet long, making the entire weapon only a little bit shorter than Wes was tall. The flat of the blade was lined with various rivets and bolts, and the edges seemed like they were segmented into thirds. The tip of the blade ended with a wide diamond point, making it about an inch thicker than the rest of the sword. The whole thing was colored red, silver, and black, with the sharp edges being silver, and the red running the length of the flat side.

After a moment of gazing at the weapon, Wes took hold of the handle and lifted it out of the case. He was surprised by how light it felt; it was almost as big as he was, and he felt he could swing it with one hand! It wasn't nearly as light as either of his dual blades, but he still felt like it was balanced very well, with good reach, weight, and cutting potential.

"I present to you, the Triblade," Monyreak said, stepping into Wes' view. "This is possibly one of the most advanced weapons ever devised. It's made almost entirely out of high-quality Etalite Ore, though with a few top secret modifications made to the material to keep it as light as it is."

"What makes it so special though?" Wes asked, spinning the blade around in his palm. "It just looks like a souped-up claymore to me."

"That is because this is only the Triblade's base form! Please, step into that room there. I'll instruct you on its proper usage from here. Ah, and you may wish to either relocate your dual blades to your belt, or set them aside out here. The blade is too long to hang anywhere else but the wielder's back."

Heeding the man's advice, Wes unsheathed the golden-handled scimitars from his back and set them on the table next to the case. Resting the blade over his shoulder, Wes made his way into the room next to them. The door slid closed behind him as soon as he was through, and he hefted the sword off its perch and rested the tip in the floor as he waited to hear what Monty would say.

"Alright, can you hear me okay?" a voice echoed. There seemed to be a speaker somewhere in the room that worked like the ones in the airships, though Wes wasn't able to locate it. "Alright, I'll take the confused searching as a yes. First, I want you to get comfortable with the sword form. Give it a few swings, see how you like it."

"Will do," Wes shrugged, lifting the blade once more and slashing it through the air. Again, he was impressed by just how lightweight it was; it was wider than most long swords he had seen, and while not quite as long, he'd been expecting it to weigh about the same as one. Taking a step forward, Wes slashed the sword upwards and spun himself around, grasping the hilt with his other hand and delivering a powerful overhand slash, leaving an audible _whoosh _as the blade split through the air. Just as he had thought, this thing was made to be balanced. He spent another minute or so swinging the blade around at imaginary targets, using techniques he remembered from both great swords and short swords.

"Alright, it looks like you've got a good handle on that form," Monyreak said. "Now comes the fun part. If you notice on the handle, the lower half of the grip can be twisted to either side. Try twisting it to the left first."

Following the researcher's instructions, Wes grasped the sword with both hands and turned the handle to the left. There was a bit of resistance at first, but after a moment of pressure the grip shifted to the side, and to his surprise, the entire weapon began to change before the hunter's eyes. The edges of the sword shifted up the length of the sword and flipped around into the shape of an dual-sided axehead. The V-shaped guard folded inwards as well, allowing Wes' hand to slide up along the length of the weapon.

It had completely changed shape into an axe! The blades were hollow on the interior, similar to his father's personal hand axe, though there was a notable shift in weight as well. Since the blades had relocated to the top of the weapon, the distribution of mass had focused on the head of the weapon, making it seem much heavier than before and almost forcing Wes to grip it with both hands.

"What in the world…?"

"Hahah! And that's the first alternative form of the Triblade: battle axe form! You'll probably notice a big shift in weight with this one, and you'll have less reach with this thing, but that's kinda the idea. The amount of weight in the weapon's head allows it to cut deeper than any sword ever could. Perfect for when you've got hard monster plates to shatter or tough skin to break through. Go on, give it a whirl!"

Though he was still shocked at how swiftly the weapon had shifted forms, Wes tightened his grasp on the shaft of the axe and swung it sideways, noting that his attack speed had slowed considerably. Still, he felt as if this thing could cleave an Aptonoth's head clean off with the right angle, something even large weapons had a hard time doing in one stroke. Using the weight of the blade, Wes turned himself to the side and swung it downwards, sticking it into the wooden floor like a wedge. He pried it loose after a moment of pulling, impressed by how deeply it had sunk into the ground. He took a few more swings with it, mimicking the forms of both hammers and switch axes to get a better style for the weapon.

"Excellent, excellent! I can see by that grin that you're enjoying this thing already! Now then, switch it back into sword form... Good, now to put the 'Tri' in 'Triblade'. Twist the handle to the right this time, if you'd please."

The hunter quickly did so, excited to see what other form the weapon possessed. To his surprise, the length of the blade seemed to fold in on itself this time, leaving him with a long shaft ending with a small segment of the blade that ended with the diamond-shaped tip of the blade. On the other end of the weapon, the pommel seemed to turn and open up, allowing a few bars to spread out from within. They twisted to the side as they reached the end of their length, catching the others with an extension and forming a circular weight on the other end of the weapon.

"What's this one? Some kind of glaive?"

"This is the second alternative form: pike form! Halberd form works as well, if you prefer. With this one, you sacrifice most of the weight and power you had for speed and fluidity of movement. Not to mention the crazy amount of range this form offers! Grabbing one end of this, you could outreach a longsword with ease. Try and see what you can do with this one, Wes."

The hunter needed no further inclination than that to start swinging the polearm. At once he could tell that it was even lighter than the sword form, yet it still had a fair amount of weight on the ends, allowing it to be spun rapidly if the user was quick with their hands. Wes was glad he had practiced using some of the thinner lances like this, as he was able to twirl the weapon around himself before firmly grabbing hold of it and swinging it low across the ground, a move that was likely to trip up most small beasts it hit. Quickly pulling the weapon back towards him, the blue- and green-eyed hunter again spun the pike around his hands a few times before slashing the tip in front of him, following after with stab. He spun himself around and swung the weighted end in front of him like a club, easily pulling the weapon back towards him once more after finishing the move. This weapon handled more like a lance or a longsword, though he was able to mix in his own abilities with actual polearms as well, making it a truly versatile form.

"Now this is a weapon I can get behind," Wes grinned, shifting the weapon back into sword form and slinging it across his back. "I almost hate to say that I don't own it; it might be difficult for someone without experience with multiple weapons to use it, but it's got a lot of usages."

"That's precisely the reason I asked for you to help me test it out. Out of everyone in the Master Corps, you have the most extensive history with each weapon class combined, and you marked at least a B in most cases, so your proficiency makes this a weapon suited to someone of your ilk."

"I don't suppose that means I can keep it, right?"

"Well, no, I'm afraid not. It's still in its developmental stage, and despite being a working prototype, it can't exactly be revealed to the public before getting a green light from the Guild. Some field data would go a long way in getting that green light…"

"So, if someone happened to be able to take this out for a spin, and they just so happened to prove how efficient it was, then said individual might be able to get one early when they're put into production?"

"In theory, yes. However, there are a few other kinks in the design I'd like to work out before I'm willing to put it out there for field testing."

"What kind of kinks?"

"The edge loses its sharpness rather quickly, the blades can get caught during the transformation process, the handle occasionally secretes a weird green liquid-"

"_What?"_

"Hah, kidding, kidding! It's mostly just a few other ideas I have for it. But I'll tell you about that out here; come on out."

The hunter made his way out of the practice room and met back up with the researcher nearby the Triblade's case, taking his dual swords and sheathing them after returning the Triblade to Monyreak.

"So, what are these 'other ideas' you were talking about?"

"Most weapons I design tend to have some form of long range component to them as well. I'm hoping to either configure a fourth form to the design that allows it to shift into the shape of a rifle, or enable one of the existing forms to launch a projectile attack of some kind. The first to come to mind is the pike configuration, as it has the longest potential 'barrel' to use."

"So it would be similar to the bowgun Amethyst uses? The one with the spring-loaded bayonet?"

"Yes, I help with reconfiguring that on occasion as well," Monyreak said. "Conventional ammunition is a bit too large for the shaft, and low caliber rounds -like those used in in small scale personal firearms- are too weak to be useful against large monsters. I've been looking into a special kind of dust that can help enhance the power of projectiles, but that's taken a backseat at the moment."

"Jeez, exactly when are you not working? From the sounds of it you practically live down here!"

"I'll admit there have been a few nights where I… may have fallen asleep at my workstation, but coincidentally I wasn't late to work the next morning either."

"Go figure. So, I guess all that's left to do is wait for Uncle Hugh to get suited up," the hunter said, leaning against the table. "Do you know anything about this armor set?"

"Joshua hasn't divulged too much information about the project to me, but I did help him develop some unique new tech that can prevent intense heat from afflicting a person," Monyreak replied. "I figure the idea has something to do with converting that into hunting armor."

"So… How good is this technology at dispersing heat?"

"It was able to withstand a constant temperature of one-thousand five-hundred degrees for over a minute before combusting, and that was about a month or two ago. I imagine the design has gone through much more testing since then, but I've been occupied with my own projects since then."

"Well, if you need a hand testing it out again, I'd be happy to offer one."

"That's what I like to hear, Wes. Welcome to the team," the researcher replied, shaking hands with the hunter.

"Oi! Wes! Ready to go?!"

At the sound of his uncle's voice, the hunter glanced over, letting out a surprised gasp at the sight of his armor. The design was almost completely original from the looks of it, taking only a few hints from other sets he had seen before. The majority of the suit seemed to be made out of thick black scales that partially reflected the light above the man. While Wes didn't recognize the black scales, he could make out a number of Agnaktor scales beneath them, giving the set a secondary orange color. The chest plate resembled a mix between the Rathalos and Agnaktor designs, though with triangular shoulder plates instead of the wing spikes. The faulds took some cues from the Agnaktor set as well, being short and encompassing the waist. The most unique parts of the outfit, though, were the vambraces and greaves; they seemed to have been designed as weapons themselves, with thick plates and jagged ends being a common sight on every piece. Notably, there were sections on the back of the calves and the lower forearms that seemed to open up like pipes, and there were a few dark tubes built into the set that ran from those openings to the back of the torso armor. Underneath the man's arm was a dark, fully-enclosed helmet adorned with three horns, each one angled forwards menacingly. The face seemed to be made out of some opaque black glass of sorts, the likes of which Wes had never seen.

Even more impressive though was the massive great sword slung across Hugh's back. It was similar to the base form of the Lagiacrus line of great swords, though the spikes around the center of the blade were even more pronounced. Zinogre carapaces made up the spine of the sword, and a yellow gem was embedded in the center of the weapon like an eye. The entire blade was a deep indigo color, except for the edge, which had a luminescent blue hue to it. It was possibly the most devastatingly powerful great sword he had ever laid eyes on.

"What in the seven hells did they do to your sword, Uncle?" Wes asked incredulously. It looked almost nothing like the old Ivory Lagiacrus blade he'd been using for so long, save for the small gem in the center. He remembered hearing it was a keepsake from Hugh's late brother, but now it was like a completely different weapon.

"Like I told you, these guys really seem to know how to find a use for anything," the great sword user chuckled, tapping the handle of the weapon. "The old one was really starting to show its age, so I decided the only way to keep it usable was to make it better. Not a bad trade, if I do say so myself!"

"So that's the armor Joshua has been working on?" Monyreak remarked, looking the hunter's suit up and down. "I see… He repurposed those Akantor scales we received to buff the fire resistant capabilities of the flame diffusers… Brilliant, I must say! And did he manage to get the Ifrit pack to work?"

"Like a blazing charm. Gotta say, he's really outdone himself this time. Seems he took my suggestions to heart this time around! But, we don't have a whole lotta time before our job, so I'll have to take Wes off your hands. You finished up here, squirt?"

"Yeah, I've been done for a few minutes," Wes replied, craning his neck towards the experimental weapon lying in the open case behind him.

"Hah! I figured as much! Well, whaddya say we get out there and show 'em what we're made of?"

"Right behind you, Uncle!"

The hunters turned and made their way back to the elevator, leaving the Science Department far below as they ascended back to ground level. The dual blade wielder waved towards Sal as he and Hugh stepped out of the building, and she shot back an enthusiastic smile and a thumbs up. It only took them a few moments to approach the airship bound for the Volcano. Outside the vehicle, Wes spied Viper checking the contents of his item pouch; he was the only one Balestra had been able to assign to Wes' team out of the others he picked thanks to Ruby's objections. Instead, the other two members of this assignment were the Ceadeus-armored switch-axe user Harlin, and the Kirin-garbed long sword wielder Katrina.

"About time you showed up, Wes," Viper said, nodding at the hunters as they approached. "I was starting to think you forgot about the job."

"If there's anything I can say about this lug's family, it's that they're always late for something or other, but they always end up surprising you the most," Hugh laughed, patting Wes roughly on the shoulder. "So, you youngins ready for the fight of your lives?!"

"It'll take a lot to top the one I had last week," Harlin replied, pulling his helmet on and rapping his hand against his chest. "But I'm always eager for another adventure."

"Easy!" Kat said as she nodded energetically. "Last time I fought alongside Wes was one of the best hunts of my life, so I've got high hopes for this one!" The dual blade user felt his face flush a little as the huntress winked at him, but he managed to maintain his composure well enough.

"Well, let's load up and get going then," Hugh stated. "Sooner we get there, the sooner we'll have that Stygian's head on a silver platter! …But you all should go first. I might have a hard time getting my sword in there."

* * *

Snow let out a short breath as she pulled the parachute bag off of her back, dropping it to the ground behind her and turning her gaze skyward. Already, she could see the airship that had delivered them to their destination heading off towards one of the nearby islands, though it disappeared behind a layer of clouds a few moments later. The white-haired huntress glanced back down again, looking across the massive field between her and the tower in the distance.

Though perhaps 'field' wasn't the correct word. The entire island seemed to be man-made, cut from a smooth, light grey stone into a massive circular shape. The only imperfections in the ground were the occasional crack or missing chunk of stone, but otherwise the entire platform, which was about a mile in diameter, was completely flat. In the area around the tower, there were a few smaller structures like pillars and arches that rose from the floor, many of which had broken down considerably, though many seemed undamaged. The tower itself rose high into the sky from the center of the platform, and a spiraling staircase wrapped around it gradually all the way up to the roof. The only other things she could see were scattered stacks of bones, some looking to have been large Aptonoth or Popo before they met their end. The island was about fifty feet above sea level, and dipped straight down at its edge, leaving no other way to access the island other than by airship. A perpetual layer of clouds hung low over the edge, almost making the area seem to be suspended high in the air.

"I swear, every time I come to one of these damned towers, they look completely different," Emerald grumbled beside her, shoving a bow coating into the compartment on the side of her weapon. "First it was in the middle of a lava flow, then it was in the bottom of the ocean, and now it's on the dinner platter of the gods."

"They do seem to appear in strange places," Snow remarked. "I remember seeing one in the Tundra a long time ago that was built into the side of a mountain. I just wonder why whoever did build them made them all over the place, and what they're supposed to do."

"I hear there're thirteen around the country," Amethyst said. "…But no one knows what they do, if they do anything… I wonder if they do something shiny?"

"Perhaps we ought to have a look around once we've taken care of this Rathalos. Ammy, is there anything else we should know about this one in particular?"

"Mmm… Oh, I almost forgot, it can light itself on fire and try to ram you. And its fireballs can break stone. …And it can blast the ground with a wave of fire…"

"That stuff would've been useful to know earlier, Ammy," the Nargacuga-clad huntress sighed. "Ah well, might as well get a move on. I sure as hell don't want to sit here when we've got a big shiny Rathalos up ahead, waiting for us to bring 'im down!"

Snow chuckled as the archer began walking towards the tower, followed a moment later by her purple-haired companion. The short sword wielder began to follow after them as well, glancing to the side as Frost quietly joined her stride.

"So, ready for our next hunt, brother? It's been awhile since we fought a Rathalos, especially a Silver one. I'm sure Wes'll be happy once we take care of it; he's been acting really strange lately, y'know? Like, he always has a lot more on his mind now. Maybe-"

"I don't like this."

Snow blinked in surprise at the tall hunter's statement, glancing up ahead at Emerald and Amethyst to see if they had heard him as well. The others were busy conversing between themselves, though, and didn't seem to be paying them any mind.

"What do you mean, Frost?"

"I mean there's something wrong with all of this. Can you feel it too?"

"I… suppose I do, sort of. Maybe it's just that this isn't a natural location? I'll admit, these protrusions do unnerve me a little…"

"I don't mean the tower. I mean our target. Why roost here?"

"Maybe it's been here before? Older Raths tend to try and seclude themselves, after all. Still, you have a point; the Misty Peaks are leagues away from here, and an injured monster fleeing that entire distance? Something doesn't add up…"

"Exactly. Whatever the reason, stay on your guard."

The hunter shifted his long sword to his side to make his point better, though Snow didn't need much convincing. There was definitely something off with all of this… Perhaps it would be better to worry after the hunt was over, but she couldn't shake the feeling that this wouldn't be a normal hunt.

It took about ten minutes of walking for them to arrive at the base of the tower, which the hunters spent watching the skies or discussing ways to handle the flying wyvern. Amethyst had pointed out that at the last tower the lower doors had been sealed tightly, which forced the group to take the roof entrance, but that didn't seem to be the case with this particular structure. The stone doors were slightly ajar, and the left of the pair was lined with numerous cracks and chips.

"If it's nesting anywhere, chances are it's on the ground floor," Emmy pointed out. "I say we blow this door down and take it by surprise, since it'll probably be expecting another attack from above. Or, more accurately, a massive blunder from above… Amethyst, let's get those buster shots at the ready!"

"Way ahead of you…" she lazily replied, whipping her bowgun around and firing a round at the damaged door. The spiked tip of the bullet pierced the stone easily, though it didn't seem to do anything else aside from emit a green light from its back. Three more shots followed it, sticking into the door at varying places, but all still only emitting that dim glow.

"What are those?" Snow asked as Amethyst ejected the empty cartridges from her gun and loaded a new set of shots into the chamber. Curiously, the huntress didn't fire any more of the shots at the door, and actually slung her weapon back over her shoulder.

"Just you wait and see," Emerald grinned, crossing her arms and nodding at the Arzuros-clad gunner. "Amethyst, if you'd be so kind, I believe we ought to show our friends here the proper way to open a door."

"Okay," Ammy replied, pulling a small grey cylinder from her pouch. It was much thinner than the bullets were, about the same size as the grip of a short sword, though one end was tipped by a red button. The huntress turned a small dial on the opposite end of the device, as if to unlock it, before pressing the button. "Ding dong…"

Not even a moment later, the lights of each of the bullets flashed red and began to hum. The four bullets simultaneously erupted into a huge explosion that tore the stone door apart, blasting small bits of shrapnel into the sky while larger chunks of debris crashed to the ground below and broke into smaller pieces. Within seconds, the entire doorway was wide open, and there were only a few moderately-sized boulders between the hunters and the interior.

"Brachydios slime," the archer explained as Snow turned towards her. "Those eggheads in the Science Department found a way to prevent it from detonating until a proper trigger was made to get a reaction. So, basically, until that switch is flipped, those bullets are just ticking time bombs with enormous destructive power! Each one just adds to the effect, a lot like those new slime weapons that've started to be produced."

"Wow, that's impressive… Well, let's not waste any time! We've got a Rath to hunt!"

Snow took the lead and darted into the opening, with Frost only a step behind her. The gunners followed after the twins, drawing their weapons as they entered the tower. The short sword wielder glanced around quickly, expecting to see the silver wyvern somewhere, but was shocked to discover it wasn't anywhere in sight. She stepped forwards cautiously, making sure to look around the entire floor thoroughly; aside from the alcove in the opposite wall and the winding ramp leading up into the tower, there was nothing.

"What the… Where is it?!"

"Maybe he's flying around getting food…" Amethyst suggested, watching Emerald whip her head back in forth as the archer searched for the Rath. "…Great. Now I want a snack…"

"If it is out hunting, then I think we should try and set up a few traps for it," Snow suggested. "Help tip the odds in our favor, yeah?"

"If this is even the right place! There's a bunch of these towers, and for all we know the higher ups probably got the location wrong! I wouldn't be surprised if they did… Bloody hell…"

Snow was about to speak up again when Frost grunted loudly, drawing the huntresses' gazes towards him. He had been crouched down beside a large boulder, but Snow saw a slight flicker in his hand as he rose to his feet and tossed an object towards her, which she snapped her hand up to catch. As she unclenched her fingers, she saw a shiny silver scale resting in her palm, seeming to have been dropped very recently.

"No… I think we're in the right place," she said, showing the scale to the others. "Come on, let's get some traps set! Frost, I don't think the ground is soft enough for a pitfall trap, so let's use your shock trap to-"

"What are you doing here, trespassers?"

Snow immediately turned her gaze upwards in surprise, as did the other hunters. On the floor above them, almost thirty feet high, a figure clad in a suit of bright silver armor stood at the edge of the platform, glaring down at them with glowing red eyes. The suit appeared to be similar to the G-level Rathalos set, though the wings that were attached to the back hung down loosely over his back like a cape.

"What the hell? Another hunter?" Emerald asked, staring up at the man. "What's he doing here? This place is off limits to average hunters!"

"Ah, I see… Hunters." The silver-clad man continued to look down at the four, though he began to walk along the edge of the platform above them. "And what is a team of hunters doing in my territory, hmm?"

Snow flinched a little as the man spoke, taking note of the guttural tone of his voice, as well as his choice of words. Frost shifted slightly as well, and the huntress glanced at her brother worriedly.

"Whaddya mean, your territory?!" the archer shouted back. "You don't own this island! It's a restricted hunting ground! Do you know how much trouble you can get into with the Guild if we report you?!"

"Emmy… I don't think that's a good idea…" Amethyst mumbled, actually seeming rather unsettled by the man's appearance. The green-haired woman shrugged her off, though, and continued to drill the man with questions, but before she could get too far into it, though, the man cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"Your trivial questions mean nothing to me. I am exactly where I belong. You, on the other hand, are encroaching upon my territory. I offer you one chance to leave, and never return here again. Refuse, and you will die."

"What?! Now you're making death threats?! You really don't have any idea who you're dealing with, do you?!"

"On the contrary, I don't think you realize what _you're _dealing with," the man said, coming to a stop and turning to face the group once more. "I merely wish to live out the rest of my days in relative peace, but I will not hold back against trespassers and murderers such as yourselves. I have lost my home to hunters. I lost my mate to hunters. I lost my pride to hunters. I will not let you take anything else from me while I still draw breath. This is your last warning. _**LEAVE.**_"

"You…"

The man turned his head towards Snow as she took a step forwards, resting a hand on the hilt of her sword.

"You _are _the Silver Rathalos, aren't you…?"

"Okay, Snow, what the hell are you going on about?" Emerald huffed. "He's a guy, not a monster! Maybe an insane guy, but still a human!"

"No, the female with the icy eyes is correct," the man remarked, drawing a surprised grunt from the archer. "The means by which I took this form are unknown to me, but I was indeed a 'Rathalos' for many, many years. I can assure you that I have no lies to tell. Believe me if you want, for it does not matter to me either way."

"Gods above, I'm surrounded by lunatics… We came here to hunt a damned Silver Rathalos, not some asylum-escapee who _thinks _he's a monster because he's dressed like one!"

"Ah, so it's my blood you're after then? If I were in my true form, you'd attempt to slay me without hesitation! The same why you murderers slew my mate, skinned her and turned her legacy into glorified tools of destruction! …I was a fool to offer you mercy before. It is clear that none of you hold regret for your actions in slaying my kin. If that is the case, then I won't have to hold any regret for doing the same unto you!"

The silver clad man suddenly leapt off the side of the ledge he was on, his armor catching the sunlight from high above and illuminating him in a blazing light. The wings on his back seemed to unfurl in midair, stretching out sideways as he dove down towards the group at an incredible speed. The hunters quickly threw themselves out of the way as he roared past them, pushing them away with a large gust of wind as he glided past them and slid to a stop, the metallic scales covering his legs and hands kicking up countless sparks as he dragged them across the floor with a loud screeching noise.

"He can _fly?!"_

"Well, that was unexpected…"

"Bah, forget it! This bastard's just asking for it now! C'mon, let's get 'im!"

"Emmy, wait!" Snow called out, cursing lowly as the archer unsheathed her bow and rushed towards the man anyways. Amethyst drew her gun as well, flanking to the side to get a better angle on the man. "Frost, come on, we need to help them out before they get themselves killed!"

"I've got your back."

The twins rushed forwards as Emerald shot an arrow at the man and Amethyst fired a Normal round at him, both of which he deflected with his forearm, not even flinching at all from the impact. The man roared as he charged towards the green-haired huntress, an orange glow encompassing his hand as he raced towards her with unreal speed. She let out a short yelp and leapt back in surprise, though the action was for naught with the man's swiftness.

As the man threw his fist at the huntress, his gauntlet seemed to emit a flare of light and became shrouded in flames, scorching the air around them almost instantly. Before his attack connected, though, Snow leapt in between them, throwing her shield up and stopping the impact dead in its tracks. The blow caused a small eruption of flames on the other side of her barrier, but the huntress was otherwise left unharmed, though locked in position as the man struggled against her shield.

"You… You aren't…" the silver-clad figure hissed, pressing more against her shield and forcing the white-haired huntress back a step. "Could you be-"

Before he could finish his statement, Frost leapt in from the side and slammed his fist into the side of the draconic-man's head, sending him flying back with a surprised growl. He righted himself quickly, though, turning about in midair and using his wings to catch the wind and launch himself back at the hunter just as quickly. The masked hunter grunted in surprise as the man crashed into him, sending both of them sliding across the ground. The Barioth-armored hunter reacted swiftly, rolling over backwards and driving his feet into the man's chest before he could attack again, knocking him back while Frost returned to his feet. The man landed on both feet anyways, glaring at the hunter through his helm.

"So… You too, then… Why you choose to side with them, I do not know. Regardless, you will fall for trespassing h-!"

A loud _crack _of a bowgun cut the man off, and a large round ricocheted off his shoulder, barely causing any damage but still making him stumble back a step in surprise. He turned his attention back to Amethyst as the huntress kept her bowgun trained on him, a blank expression on her face.

"Ah… I remember you. You were with the other hunters who invaded my home all those months ago, attempting to raid my nest! You should have died that day, foolish girl, but I'll ensure your burns are even worse no-!"

Another shot cut him off as the huntress fired a round directly into his faceplate, still not damaging the hard scales but stunning him once again.

"Why are you talking so much…?" she lazily asked, loading another few rounds into her gun. "If you wanted to fight, you might as well actually do something…"

"How dare you mock me after all the strife you have caused me, hunter?! Very well, you may have the honor of dying first!" The man roared, flames building up around his hands as he clenched them tightly. Instead of rushing towards her, though, he brought his hands together, merging the flames into a large fireball the size of his torso. With a loud roar, he launched the projectile at the purple-haired huntress, who rolled to the side to avoid the attack.

The man was upon her almost instantaneously, catching her right as she righted herself with his speed. The huntress gasped in surprise and swung the stock of her bowgun at the man, not having enough time to flip its bayonet out, but he easily caught the metal frame with one hand, stopping the strike dead in its tracks. The silver-clad man swung his other fist at the woman, but she was able to duck her head out of the way twice before he changed tactics and grabbed her around the neck. The man easily hefted the huntress into the air above him as she began gasping for air.

"Dammit, Ammy! Let her go!" Emerald shouted, rushing him from the side with an arrow clenched in her hand. She attempted to stab the tip of the blade into a chink in the man's chestplate, but cursed as the arrowhead glanced off his armor as he turned to face her. He let out a short grunt as he drove his foot into her abdomen and knocked the archer clear across the room, slamming into a large boulder before falling to the floor.

"A feeble attempt… Now to end your miserable little life. Any last words?"

"Ugh… Y-yeah…" Amethyst moaned, though she still tried to free herself from his grip with her other hand. "You're really hot…"

"…What?"

Before he could act, the huntress pulled the trigger of her bowgun, blasting the floor with the last round in the chamber. The recoil of the shot caused the butt of the weapon to slam into the man's chin, his grip having slackened after catching hold of the huntress' neck. The surprise blow made the man stumble back in surprise, releasing his grip on her in the process. She dropped to the floor coughing as air filled her lungs once more, though she tried to pull herself away from the man as he recovered. Before he reached her, though, a white blur slammed into his side and tackled him to the ground with an angered shout.

"Ammy, get Emerald and move out of here! Frost and I will take care of him!" Snow said, sliding to a stop beside the huntress and helping her to her feet. The purple-haired bowgunner looked a bit dazed, and was still panting in exhaustion, but nodded quickly before racing over to the downed archer and helping her up. Emerald appeared to be unconscious from the impact with the boulder, so Ammy had to support her the entire way towards the exit. Snow turned back to the fight at hand, though, as her brother slammed into the floor beside her, rolling backwards onto all fours and glaring at the draconic man as he pushed himself up as well. The silver helm covering his face was notably dented from Frost driving his fist into it several times, but the man appeared no worse for wear.

"Hmm… You two once more? …Tell me, what names have you taken for yourselves?" he asked, strafing around the side of the hunters while they did the same. "Something close to your roots, no doubt…"

"Frost and Snow."

The huntress glanced to the side as her brother answered for once.

"I see… I have taken the name 'Aodhan' for myself. So, Frost and Snow… What reason have you come here to my territory for? Do not tell me you actually joined _with _those hunters…"

"We have our reasons for what we do. We came here for a Rathalos, nothing more."

"…So far you have both fallen. Very well, if you seek a Rath's blood, you'll have to drain it from my veins personally!" Aodhan roared, his wings flaring up behind him as if he was preparing to charge the two.

"That was the idea," Frost said, placing a hand on the grip of his sword. "Snow, Flurry Pattern. I'll take him up for Storm Front."

"Alright, I'll get working on Hail Strike too," Snow replied. "Ready to break the ice, Aodhan?!"

The wyvern-man replied by launching himself at the pair with a furious roar, gliding over the ground as flames built up around his gauntlets once again. Snow ducked to the side while Frost planted his foot behind him, adjusting his grip on his scabbard. Right before the man struck him, Frost fired his sword's quickdraw mechanism, slamming the pommel of the weapon into the Aodhan's chest with enough force to dent the metallic scales guarding his torso and launch the man up into the air. Frost quickly followed after him, leaping up a stack of boulders to his side and jumping into the air next to Aodhan, grabbing the handle of his long sword in the process. The Barioth-armored hunter twisted himself around and slashed his sword across the man's torso, the edge grinding off the plates guarding Aodhan's torso with a flare of electricity. As he began to drop, the hunter grasped his long sword with both hands delivered a powerful overhand swing to the wyvern-man, and while Aodhan was able to block the attack with his wrists, the force behind the blow still forced him to the floor of the chamber.

The silver-clad man attempted to right himself and land feet first on the ground, but as his boots connected with the floor he found himself sliding across a slick, cold surface, forcing him to stay grounded instead of pursuing Frost as he dropped to the floor. He bumped into a stone in the floor behind him which stopped him from moving, but as he was about to push off again Snow flipped over the rock, her short sword surrounded in a misty-white aura. Aodhan grunted in surprise as the huntress slashed her blade at him twice, unleashing a burst of ice from the edge of her weapon as it struck his shoulders. The huntress landed gracefully in front of him, sliding to a stop on the ice as if she were wearing skates.

"What is the meaning of this?!"

"What? Not a fan of the cold?" Snow winked, pushing off with her feet and sliding towards the man as quickly as he did towards them with his wings.

He cursed in surprise and lifted his arms to block the oncoming attack, but the Barioth-clad woman instead skated past him, slashing him across the foot once as she raced past. She didn't stop there, though, and made a tight U-turn behind the silver-clad man, slinging herself back at him once again. Aodhan attempted to turn and face her, but found that her last strike had frozen his foot to the floor, immobilizing him on that side. Snow leapt into the air beside the man, spinning about almost a foot off the ground with her sword arm outstretched. Each revolution she made brought her icy blade into the man's side again, and before she had hit the ground she had struck him more than half a dozen times and knocked him forwards, a chunk of ice still lodged to his foot.

As he attempted to right himself, Frost leapt towards him from atop the boulder he was perched on, slashing his electric-blue sword at Aodhan in a reverse grip. The blade had dulled from the earlier quickdraw, but still held enough force to leave a noticeable scratch across his torso. Frost landed behind the man and began to slide towards Snow, but the huntress had already whipped up an icy ramp for him to launch him back towards the wyvern-man. The masked hunter was thrown into the air by the slope, flipping over upside down as he approached the stunned man beneath him. Firing the quickdraw once more, Frost shot straight down while spiraling wildly like a white tornado, slamming his blade into the man's torso just before landing on the floor. The impact blasted Aodhan back across the chamber with a large burst of thunder element, and he roared in pain as he crashed through a boulder and felll to the ground, rolling over onto his knee to keep himself from sliding too far across the icy floor. Snow slid to a stop beside her brother as he pushed himself up, grunting somewhat at the pain of using the quickdraw the way he had.

"Damn you both…" Aodhan hissed, clutching at his damaged chest plate with one arm. Several scales had been broken off by the last strike Frost had dealt him, leaving a notable crack over the left side of the man's chest. Still, he pushed himself back up again, glaring intensely at the twins. "I see you haven't lost touch with your true natures, at least…"

"Humans are capable of these things," Snow replied. "Not like magic is a new concept or anything. It's been around for hundreds of years."

"Yet your command over it –and your knowledge of it- exceed that of most men and women these days… Never before has a hunter used such tactics against me."

"Most men and women aren't used to a guy slinging fireballs at them with his hands either."

"Ah, so this explains why you sent your companions away… You still wish to hide your abilities out of fear of being discovered! Yet you knew that you stood little chance without that power either. I could say it is admirable, but I consider you both to be utter cowards for doing so."

"We don't need these powers to fight you," Frost said bluntly. "It's just been awhile since we've let loose." The hunter leveled the tip of his sword at the man, having sharpened the edge while Snow was conversing with Aodhan. "No hard feelings, but you aren't going to survive this fight."

"Perhaps not… I am no fool. The odds are against me, and I am far more wounded than either of you are…"

"So you'll make this easy then?"

"No… I would rather die before I flee a third time! Frost, and Snow… Unlike the both of you, I do not fear who and what I am, nor what it means for others like me! I am not a slave to this world of hunters; I am free to live –and die- however I choose! So, if it is by the end of your blade, so be it! _Show me a good death!"_

"With pleasure."

* * *

Emerald groaned as she pushed herself up, her head swimming and her body racked with pain. The faint taste of a potion lingered on her tongue, and she supposed she wasn't hurting as much as she thought she would've been, but she was still quite sore. She tried to ignore the aches as she glanced around the area, seeing that she had been lying beneath one of the undamaged arches that surrounded the tower. She was about five hundred feet from the structure itself, though she thought she could hear that faint sounds of battle echoing across the flat area from within. The entrance seemed to be emitting a large cloud of steam as well, which she wondered after. Was there a hot geyser beneath the tower or something?

"Ugh… That silver-armored bastard..." she hissed, recalling the events that led up to her incapacitation. Some of the details were still kind of fuzzy, but she remembered that he had somehow been able to fly. And how had he been able to strike her that hard? His movements didn't even imply that he had put as much force behind the kick as he could have, yet it felt like a full-sized wyvern had slammed into her! At the thought of the event, though, she realized that Amethyst was nowhere in sight. "Ammy… Ammy! Where are you?!"

"Right behind you." The archer yelped in surprise and turned her gaze backwards, where she saw the bowgunner seated on a small folding stool, cooking a steak over a portable BBQ spit. Her gun rested on the ground beside her, and while the stock looked fairly battered, the weapon looked fine. More importantly, Amethyst didn't seem wounded much at all, though it was sometimes hard to tell with her. "I made some steaks to help you get better…"

The green-haired sighed irately, and was about to go off on a tangent about how Amethyst could be thinking about food at a time like this, but after a moment she softened her expression and took the steak her friend held out to her.

"Thanks Ammy. So, what happened in the tower? Where's Snow and that mountain of silence she calls a brother?"

"After you got knocked out, Snow helped me up and I carried you out here and kept watch. They're still in there fighting that weird dragon guy."

"So… Snow got you out of that guy's grip then?" Emmy asked, taking a bite out of the steak and glancing to the side. "…Sorry I couldn't help you there."

"No, she only moved in after I got freed. You stabbing him gave me the time to fire my gun and hit him with the stock, and I carried you out. That was maybe… twenty minutes ago? I dunno, I've been cooking steaks the whole time."

"Twenty minutes?! Why didn't you go back and help them?!" the archer asked, pushing herself up, though wincing in pain.

"Cuz I wanted to look after you…?" Ammy replied simply, cocking her head slightly as if she didn't understand why Emerald seemed so up in arms about it. "Why shouldn't I have stayed? …Is the steak bad?"

"No, this has nothing to do with steak! I would've been fine, Ammy. For all we know, Frost and Snow are getting the crap kicked out of them, and they could've used a gunner to help them deal with that guy! You could've just left me under the arch and gone back! Not like there're any other monsters here…"

"I still don't get what you mean, Emmy… Doesn't Snow have Frost watching her back?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"And Frost has Snow watching his. Ruby has Saph, Wes has Viper… you always had mine, right? Ever since we were kids, even when things got bad for us… I thought I should try to show you that I have your back too…"

Emerald was quiet for a time, though she couldn't tell if it was out of nostalgia or surprise. Amethyst barely ever talked about their youth, and Emerald knew that given everything they'd gone through, they were lucky to be where they are now. It was almost ironic, though; Amethyst used to be the one who always looked out for her, but now it was the other way around. Ammy did seem to forget some aspects about those years as well, so the archer could understand why she felt the way she did.

"…Ammy, look, I really do appreciate you staying for me. You're right, we really do need to look out for each other, just like old times. Who knows, maybe there would've been another monster who decided this oversized dinner plate would make a good spot to rest at, and I would've needed you to get out of it alive. So, yeah, you're right. Sorry for lashing out at you like that."

"It's okay… So you like the steaks then?"

"Yes, Ammy, yes I do," the archer chuckled, shaking her head as Amethyst looked at her curiously. A low rumbling sound drew their attention back towards the tower, a few small stones on the floor hopping about as the ground shook beneath them slightly. Something must have collapsed inside the structure. "What the hell was that…?!"

"Dunno… Maybe it's one of those Ceadeus things, like what happened in Moga all those years ago?"

"I doubt it… Whatever that was, it was inside the tower... Keep your guard up, Ammy."

"'kay."

The archer trained her gaze on the entrance to the structure, listening for any other sounds that might cue her in on what was happening inside, though she heard nothing but the occasional howl of wind. The steam pouring out from the entrance had died down as well, leaving the entrance fully visible to the huntresses. The next minute seemed to drag on for much longer than it was, and Emerald considered going back to the tower to inspect it herself, but relaxed as she saw two white-clad figures walk out of the structure at last.

"Took you two long enough!" Emerald shouted as they approached her and Amethyst's spot beneath the pillar, and Snow waved back in response. Frost's sword arm seemed to have gone rigid, and she could tell even from this distance that it was injured pretty badly, but the masked man didn't seem to be any worse off than that, aside from the few singed burn marks on their coats and armor. "So, did you handle that psycho alright?"

In response, Frost pulled a large silver object from his belt and tossed it to the ground in front of her, where it clattered a bit before bumping into her foot and settling down. The archer picked the object up and turned it over, realizing it was the helmet that the man had been wearing. Though she was initially worried that the hunter had brought back the man's entire head, she breathed a low sigh of relief upon seeing the empty interior of the helm.

"Guess that answers that. How'd you do it?"

"Frost and I broke down the ramp leading up to the next floor to pin him down, and we finished him off by stabbing him through the chest," Snow sighed. She seemed distraught about killing that lunatic, but Emmy guessed it was to be expected after taking a life. Still, she couldn't help but feel there was more to it than that, though she couldn't quite place her finger on what that might've been. "Anyways, there's no Silver Rathalos' in the tower. Maybe it's still out there, but wherever it is, it probably isn't here. In any case, we should call the airship in to get us out of here. Mind popping up a flare? I'm going to take a look at Frost's arm."

"Alright, will do. And Snow? …Nice job in there. Never doubted you two for a second. Not even a crazy monster-man is a match for ya!"

Snow smiled a little at the comment, though she didn't seem any cheerier than before.

"Thanks, Emerald. Glad you're alright too."

* * *

**Author Notes: Please review! Well, this has certainly been an interesting chapter, hmm? By now, I'll bet you all are getting a few lightbulbs over your heads with a few plot aspects right about now, but believe me when I say this is only the tip of the iceberg! ...Get it? Hah, ice jokes... The fight scene this time around was a bit short, I'll admit, but that's only to save more of what these characters can do for later. As for a battle theme, I kinda had a thing for the Hyrule Warriors track 'Eclipse of the Sun'. Been playing me a lot of that lately... Young Link (aka FIERCE DEITY LINK) has swiftly become my favorite character just because of how ridiculously broken his Focus Spirit shtick is. I literally had it going for five minutes and racked up almost a thousand kills before it finally ran out, and once it did I could use it again thirty seconds later. Ah, now that's what I missed about replaying the boss fights of Majora's Mask with that mask. **

**Bringing Hugh back into TMC has been one of my most anticipated moments in the entire story thus far, truth be told. I finally got to elaborate on what he's been doing all these years, and my, it seems like he's certainly made quite the life for himself, eh? If only I had that same luck collecting monster gems... Still need a Teostra Gem and a Daora gem to upgrade to the Master Sword, and those are not dropping for me even after several attempts against both. Well, I guess that's a lie; I did get a Daora Gem, but I used it on something else before realizing I needed one for that upgrade. The woes of crafting be the worst, I tell ye.**

**I've actually reached the point where I have a catch-all term for a few different situations in my writing, each one being named after a character. Most of you probably know about the "Zephyr Syndrome", where a character kinda drops out of existence for a while, but most of the THO cast is in on it too now. Getting a bunch of rare items without difficulty is the "Hugh Life"; having to buy a bunch of things for someone else without getting paid back is the "Rose Lure"; and jinxing any situation is "Yorking it" (I tend to do this one a lot, to the point where I literally have one of my 4U shout-outs set as "I had to say it..."). And, of course, any time someone has girl problems (aside from the 99 other ones they may or may not have), I'll refer to it as making a real 'Wes' of things. Haha... GET IT? More will probably spawn as the story goes on.**

**I'm not sure how many of you know about this, but I recently posted another story as well! This one will run concurrently with TMC, titled "Supplementary Chapters". Similar to the DLC concept dashboardgecko had, except these stories will only take place during the events of TMC itself (aside from a few which will break the universe, and are thus non-canonical). Since the story is going to start becoming much more serious, the supplementary chapters are designed to help inject some humor into the tale by detailing the shenanigans Wes and the others get up to between TMC chapters. Only one is posted, currently but expect a lot of short side stories to be posted there between the larger ones here! I'm also taking suggestions for ideas you readers may wish to see, so feel free to submit ideas you may have. Lastly, any other OC submissions I receive will be put into the supplementary chapter pool as well, and I have one chapter that has a space for four more characters. I really only need a name for them, but submissions are welcome!**

**Hoorah, I finally hit G-Rank in 4U! Not gonna lie, Dalamandur wasn't a particularly difficult fight (and I'm a bit disappointed by the name they localized it with. Dara Amadyura sounds so much more threatening than Dalamnduuur), but I was incredibly frustrated when my entire team disconnected at the halfway point, leaving me to fend for myself for the next ten minutes. Not only that, but they took out two of the three carts we had before they left, so I had very little room for error. Being combo'ed by falling meteors was also not a fun time, but he went down with a bit of effort from my trusty L'Oppressuer. Then, Ukanlos... After farming Akantor a million times for the Master Sword and a full suit of armor, it wasn't as difficult to fight as I thought. So, now I have a bunch of monsters to farm to upgrade the rest of my gear before diving into the G quests. Hopping straight to rank 65 was a pretty nice feeling though. If you wish to play sometime, just PM me your friend code or a hall ID and we can meet up online! My in game name is Hawk, and I am often accompanied by my Palico, Thomas. Haha... GET IT? (Yes, I realize I already said that earlier.)**

**I wonder how many of you caught the reference in the Science Department section? I'm not sure how many of you are fans of the RWBY series by Rooster Teeth, but if you are then you'll know that the lead director of the series, Monty Oum, passed away recently due to an allergic reaction during a medical procedure. Being a huge fan of the series myself, I was extremely shocked and saddened to learn about this, especially since I've considered Monty to be a huge source of inspiration for several years. I used several of his CGI fight scenes as references for my own fights on occasion, and I always looked forward to the next episode of RvB or RWBY with the hope that it would have a CGI scene in it. So, I felt I should honor him with a character in my own story, where he can always have his creative mind wander in search of the next great idea he'd have. Wherever you may now be Monty, you will be missed dearly. Rest in peace, my friend.**

**Playing: MH4U, Assassin's Creed Unity (Unlocked my Legendary Prowler Coat, and now I can run with my coat tails flapping dramatically behind me. Life is now complete.) Hyrule Warriors, Super Smash Bros. 3DS/Wii U**

**Reading: The Lost Civilization: DLC by dashboardgecko, _Captain Blood _by Rafael Sabatini, _Song of Solomon _by **

**Watching: Game of Thrones, RWBY (RIP Monty Oum), the gallery videos in MH4U while dressed like Link since they're funny**

**Listening To: Hyrule Warriors OST, Avenged Sevenfold, Rise Against**


	21. Moon

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 21- Moon

"So, have we found out if there's a leak yet?"

"Peace, Felix. I understand your suspicions, truly, but to so quickly cast doubt on our brothers-"

"One of them _isn't _a brother, Virgil! He or she is a traitor the Keepers, and if we're gonna have any chance at surviving another year, we need to stop these attacks! Another two hideouts were wiped out in the last three months alone, including the Peaks Tower Hideout! Do you know what that means?!"

"That aside from the Island Ruins Hideout and the Plains Cliff Hideout, we only have three other bases to operate from."

"Exactly! Our numbers are thinning, yet the Darkness is just as strong as ever, if not more so! Is it so hard to believe that a member of their cult has infiltrated the Keepers and are destroying us from within?"

York continued to watch the exchange as his father sighed wearily, resting his head in one of his hands. The conversation between him and Felix had lasted almost fifteen minutes already, yet they were gaining no ground in determining the actual cause of how the Brilliant Darkness was locating their hideouts. To the side stood Elena and Drock, as well as a fifth man that York didn't recognize, though he felt as though he should. His long black hair was tied back into a ponytail that hung to his lower back, which seemed to accentuate the sharp angles of his jawline and the piercing yellow of his eyes. He was lithe and tall, though it was hard to tell his build beneath the white robed he wore.

York felt as though something was different about this memory, however. While in the previous ones, he had been forced to stay within a certain radius of Virgil, he now found that he could move about freely in the large chamber they were in. Whether this was a result of the memory only taking place in this room or some other outlying reason, the hunter was unsure. Still, he found that the events seemed to grow hazy if he drifted too far away, so he still kept himself in the vicinity of the table, watching the debate between the Keepers.

"Felix, Virgil, this bickering needs to stop," Elena cut in, drawing the other two's gazes towards her. "We know for a fact that the Brilliant Darkness has some kind of information that we don't. Whether it be because of a spy or some new ability they discovered, we can't tell; however, what I do know is that infighting between two of our most valuable members will only sow discord and confusion throughout the rest of our numbers. We need to approach this quickly, but cautiously."

"Lady Elena is correct," Drock added, tapping his walking stick on the floor. "The means by which our enemy has access to this information is a pressing issue, but we mustn't cast blame on others without reservation. Felix, your theory has much validity to it, but Virgil is correct: we do not know what tricks the Darkness possesses. If we stumble blindly into the shadows, they will consume us all…"

"They've been doing a pretty damn good job of that so far!" Felix argued, slamming his fist down onto the table. "This constant inactivity and waiting around for the next clue to appear is killing us even quicker than their swords are! No doubt that everyone else has the same idea; we need to crack down on anyone and everyone who's acting suspiciously and stop this madness before the lot of us lie dead on the floor!"

"Truthfully, I must agree with Felix on this matter," the black-haired man stated, his voice low and smooth. "The Forest Hideout was one of the most well-hidden havens we had, yet it was discovered not by one or two scouts, but an approaching army. And I can vouch for the devastation that occurred that day."

"Thank you, Basil. Glad to know I have at least one person behind me."

"No one is against you, Felix," Virgil sighed, glancing up at the man opposite him. "We simply cannot decide to start a purge of our members to weed out potential spies when we have other pressing matters to attend to, such as reinforcing our defenses and preparing for the next attack- which, unfortunately, I feel we know is inevitable."

"Agreed. But, I feel this discussion has lasted long enough," the Master Keeper said. "We must tend to those other matters with haste. Only once we can successfully repel an attack can we turn our focus towards potential breakers of the Oath. For now, you all are dismissed."

With that, the bearded man bowed and made his way out of the chamber, followed after by Felix and a few other members who had been present at the meeting.

_About time… Didn't realize I was in for a political debate this time around, _the hunter thought. _Still, I can understand the difficulties the Keepers are- or were, rather- going through. A two front assault, half of which is coming from within… Felix has a much better idea of this than the others seem to, at least. And here I thought he was just an old hunter… Even from the grave the old man manages to impress me._

"Virgil…"

York glanced over at the mention of his father's name, moving himself behind a pillar nearby to hide himself. He wasn't sure why he should, as the previous memories had proven he couldn't actually affect the environment in any way, and his intangible form made it literally impossible to be seen, but he still felt as though he could effect the events somehow. Peeking around the column, he saw Elena take a seat beside the man, taking one of his hands in hers with a concerned look in her green eyes.

"What is it, my lady? Is something troubling you again?"

"No, nothing like that… I'm worried about you, Virgil. You've been pushing yourself way too hard for your own good, and it's showing. You looked like you were about to pass out the entire time!"

"It's no amount of pressure I haven't been able to handle before, Elena. You shouldn't concern yourself so much with my well-being when it's you that _I _should be worried about. It isn't good for a woman in your condition to stress over everything that goes on."

"Pregnancy has its moments, I will admit, but can you blame me for showing concern for the health of my husband?"

"I suppose not…"

"You've been putting in more effort trying to defend the rest of us than you have been caring for yourself, Virgil. You need to take a break and rest a little."

"Elena, I can't afford to rest when so much weight rests upon our shoulders. If I don't hold up my share of work, the others may falter as well. I know I have neglected to care for myself more, but can you imagine the terrors that might overtake us should I not put in all my effort? I do this not only for the others, but for the future. And for you, Elena. I wish to make the world a place we can live in quiet peace if we so choose. One that doesn't have the threat of a dark god's wrath looming forever on the horizon…"

"We all seek the same as you," Elena assured, staring intently into the man's eyes. "And that's why we need you at your best. Sure, you pull a lot of weight, but that weight will only grow heavier if you don't let yourself have some rest when you can. If you fell in battle because you were too exhausted to fight back, I would be lost. Please, for my sake…"

"…Very well," Vergil sighed, chuckling a little. "I never could win an argument with you, after all. The Adlers are a very persuasive bunch."

"And you are too, on occasion," the blonde-haired woman smiled. "Though I can't tell if it's because of good diction or general stubbornness."

"Perhaps it's a little of both. I never was one for conventional reasons."

"And that's what attracted me to you in the first place, Virgil. Now come on, let's get some rest; the others can manage for a couple hours without us."

"If the lady commands it, then so it shall be," the man replied, pushing himself to his feet. Elena smiled and rose with him, and the pair began to make their way towards the exit. Before they reached it, though, the black-haired man from before approached them.

"Virgil, might I have a quick moment?"

"I suppose, yes. What do you need, Basil?"

"I just wished to thank you again for your help in the Forest Hideout," the man stated. "While being one of the only two surviving members of the attack isn't exactly a title most would be pleased bearing, if it weren't for your intervention with the advance party, my wife and I would have surely fallen that day as well. Do not mistake my agreeing with Felix over you during the meeting as ill-meaning. I still consider you a great comrade and friend, just… I feel this matter needs more action to be taken if we're going to have any chance of solving it."

"I take no offense to your opinion, my friend," Virgil replied, patting the yellow-eyed man's shoulder. "We are comrades against the Darkness, after all. I haven't quite forgotten all those years we spent training together either you know."

"Still, if there's anything I can do to repay you for saving my life, let me know. I owe you a great debt, after all."

"Hmm… Well, I can tell you're serious about this. If you could inform Master Drock that I will be unavailable for the next few hours, that would be very much appreciated."

"Consider it done. I'll see you around, Virgil." The man turned to leave, but paused before taking a step. "And you as well, my lady," he said, turning back around and bowing towards Elena respectfully. The man turned once more and left the room, followed shortly after by the couple. York let out a low breath as he stepped out from behind the pillar, feeling himself drift towards the door as soon as he did.

_Well, I didn't expect to find out that father wasn't the original owner of the Adler name. In fact, it seems like everyone here pays some kind of respect to mother, calling her 'Lady Elena' and such. Wonder why that is? Hah, imagine if I were royalty… Given the amount of funds I generally have, I'd be lucky to be considered middle-class. Still, seeing them together like this… I dunno, I guess it makes me happy knowing that my parents at least cared for each other this much. And mother's pregnant at this point, so… I guess baby York isn't too far off then, huh? Man, that'll be weird if I have to see that… Wes was peculiar enough for me._

As he neared the door, a sudden flash of light forced him to shut his eye tightly and cover his face with an arm. As he had several times before, York found himself blacking out a moment later.

* * *

The hunter groaned as he pushed himself up from his desk, shaking his head to wake himself up and clear his vision. He glanced over at the glowing red sphere on the table next to his arm; the ruby's light had dimmed once more, meaning that whatever power it held was once again dormant. The engraving on the pure blade in front of him still had an orange glow to it as well, though it was fading quickly. Whenever he accessed the memories inside of the blade, the next marking would illuminate itself, as well as the ones that he had seen previously. Four more remained now, meaning there were seven of these memories in total, as far as he knew.

"At least it's more fun than looking through a scrapbook," York remarked, rubbing his eye tiredly. Glancing out the window, he noted that it was still dusk, just as it had been before his adventure through time. He still found it strange that almost half an hour had passed in what was essentially the blink of an eye. Sheathing his father's sword and returning it to the mount above his work table, the hunter grabbed hold of the red gemstone and placed it inside the small box he had made to store it in. He'd almost lost track of it last time he'd looked for it, so he made the case to help him find it easier. Setting the box behind a few pictures on the shelf, he stepped out into the living room in search of his wife.

"I wonder where Rose is… She said she'd be home before sundown. Probably just a few last minute sales in the market… Gods forbid she try to buy another one of those stupid lamps like last week." Like he had assumed, she hadn't returned yet, but he wasn't too worried; Rose ran late pretty often (though not quite as much as he did), especially whenever she had some kind of surprise in store for him. The one-eyed man took a seat on the couch and kicked his feet up, leaning back as his mind wandered towards the well-being of his son.

_It's been almost three months… Not being able to stay in Loc Lac the entire time he's been unconscious has been hard enough on us, but I'm more worried that we won't be there when he wakes up. I trust Connor's expertise, but it goes without saying that a parent never stops worrying. Hopefully Wes will at least remember to write home once he wakes up… Then Rose and I can head over to make sure he's alright. I know it would put her mind at ease just as much as mine._

A few minutes later, York heard the doorknob jiggle, and craned his neck around in time to see the door fling open. He smiled warmly as his wife stepped through the entrance and closed the door behind her, though he raised an eyebrow at the large box she was carrying.

"Welcome home, my lady. How were the sales today?"

"Sold six more batches of those wyvern-shaped cookies than yesterday, so I'd say things are pretty good!" she replied cheerfully, setting the box down on the table beside him and kissing his cheek. "And how was your day off, good sir?"

"Quite well, though I still managed to get some work done. I think I've just about finished the design of those disposable earplugs I've been working on, and if I can get those done I'll have a surefire way to rack in a ton of gold. Er… Zenni. Looks like that second trip to Yukumo Village isn't too far off!"

"Well, as long as we're talking about good news, I think I'll add another thing to that list!" York cocked his head slightly out of curiosity, though Rose didn't say another word, instead tapping the lid of the box she had been carrying.

"What is it?"

"Don't you remember? You were talking about getting these armor sets for weeks! Calistro finally got them together for you!"

York's eye lit up in excitement as she finished talking, standing up immediately and kissing Rose on the forehead before making his way over to the crate, pulling the small note attached to the side off and reading it over.

_York,_

_It took a bit of digging around, but I finally got a few of those older sets cobbled together for ya. I'd rather not guess why you wanted these retro designs, but hopefully you can turn them into something worthwhile. Consider these to be a 'thank you' for taking care of the Gear Ray for us (even if you did specifically ask us for 'em, we can't exactly be owing you twenty years' worth of favors). If we need ya for anything, we'll send a courier out there for ya. Stay sharp,_

_Guildmaster Calistro_

"Looks like that old sunuvagun came through for me after all!" York chuckled, beginning to work the top off the box.

Rose peered over the hunter's shoulder as he pried the crate open and looked at the box's contents eagerly. "So, that's what you were so excited about? These old sets? Where did you find these again?"

"I was going through an old armor magazine a while back, and I caught sight of a few sets that interested me. They haven't really seen much use around these parts, especially in recent years, but Calistro said he had a few spares in storage. So, using my expert persuasive skills, I talked him into sending me a few sets."

The box contained two separate outfits: one appeared to be similar to the standard Guild uniform, except it was significantly less ornate than the recent design, despite having been reserved for actual knights of the Guild. It was a much more vibrant red color as well, though the majority of the outfit beneath that was white or grey. The other armor, meanwhile, consisted of dark grey and orange metal plates, some of which had spikes protruding from them. Notably, there was a large metallic belt emblazoned with an insignia of some kind. There were various bits and pieces to it, but it appeared to be tailored for close-quarters fighting.

"Which sets are these?"

"The Guild Knight set and the Black Belt set," York answered, nodding in approval at the contents of the crate. "I can definitely use these for something…"

"Finally getting sick of the old suit, huh?" Rose teased, chuckling lightly as he shut the box.

"After twenty years of wearing the same thing? I guess you could say yeah, a little bit. Still, it's been showing its age lately, so I figured it was time to make something that would last until retirement."

"Well, as long as it doesn't get in the way of finishing up the kids' lessons before their Hunter's Examination, I'm all for it. Now for the real piece of good news," she said, reaching into her bag and pulling out a white envelope. York looked over the letter curiously as his wife held it out to him, taking it and checking the sending address.

"It's from Wes!"

"You will not believe how hard it's been keeping that letter closed for the last two hours. Still, I thought that it would be best if we read it together, like always."

"See, this is why I love you," the hunter grinned, kissing her lightly before tearing the envelope open and pulling the contents of the letter out. York breathed a sigh of relief at the familiar sight of his son's handwriting; while it seemed a little shakier than before, it was clearly Wes' hand that guided the pen.

"Dear Ma and Pa," he began, waiting for Rose to take a seat beside him. "I don't really know how to begin writing this, truth be told. I woke up the other day to find out that I've been unconscious for three months. Three whole months. I'll bet you both have been worried sick, huh? Well, I guess the best way to begin this letter would be this: I'm sorry I freaked you both out so badly. Hunting isn't exactly a safe profession, and I know that you both worry constantly about whether or not I still have all my limbs attached, but I'd bet any amount of gold- wait, he crossed that out- _zenni _that hearing about me getting hurt that badly threw your world for a loop.

"Well, it'd be a lie to say things here aren't a little crazy either. I'm pretty sure you've already heard about everything that went down that night, but I'll recap for you just in case: me and a few of my friends were sent on a mission to recover an artifact from a tower in the Misty Peaks region. We were informed that there was a pair of Raths nesting in the area –Gold and Silver ones. We were supposed to avoid them, get the artifact, and get out without causing a scene. Well, I don't really need to explain that there WASa scene, but I know that almost everything that happened that night was my fault. I made a bad choice, and because of that me and three other hunters were hospitalized.

"When I woke up, not many people were very sympathetic towards me. Not that I blame them; I'd be pissed off too if I learned someone I regularly worked with almost got his entire team killed in a botched attempt to show off. Hell, I can count the number of people who don't want to punch me in the face on one hand. But, I guess you could say that at the very least this has been something of an eye opener for me. People rely on me to help them just as much as I rely on others to watch my back, and I didn't exactly prove that I got that before. Case in point, my best friend clocked me good on day one (don't worry, it didn't bruise, Ma).

"So here I am, having to try and earn everyone's trust back while also making sure I don't get kicked out of the Master Corps. I can honestly say that I've never felt like a bigger dunce in my entire life, which speaks volumes about either your parenting or the extent of my screw up.

"But I don't mean that as a bad thing. Like I said, this has been a real eye opener for me. I get that I made my choice, and I have to deal with the consequences now, just like every other person that breathes. You know how I used to love pretending to be the hero in all those adventure books as a kid? Well, I guess you could say that I found out I'm not the hero of any story; I'm just a character in a much bigger novel (weird comparison, yeah, but it's the best I got). Of course, trying to fix everything isn't going to be easy, but I'm lucky enough to have someone to look to for advice in how to go about doing that now.

"Anyways, I guess I've bored you both enough with the whole 'philosophy on life' thing, so I'll move on from that. Overall, I feel pretty good. No bad lasting aches or pains, and thanks to a special concoction Doctor Connor whipped up I've been able to recover my strength pretty fast too. Needless to say, I look a hell of a lot better than I probably did whenever you saw me last. I've been able to start patching things up with the others as well, so I've got that to be glad about too.

"And, last but not least, I've got another job coming up in a few days. I'll be going after a Stygian Zinogre with my friends and- surprise surprise- Uncle Hugh too. Hearing that I'll be going on another hunt this soon will probably freak you both out, and I'm going to apologize now if I shaved any years of your life off, but I want to say that I will be careful. I've got a reliable team standing beside me, I have the training the two of you gave me, and most importantly, I have the family's drive to succeed. I'll make you both prouder than ever, that I can promise.

"In any case, feel free to stop in for a visit whenever you'd like. I'd appreciate the chance to talk to you both in person, and I don't think it'd be a far cry to assume the same is true for you. I hope all has been well enough for the both of you, despite all things considered, and I can't wait to hear back. Ma, Pa, I love you both. As always, happy hunting. Wes."

The hunter breathed a long sigh after setting the letter down, leaning his head back exhaustedly. He wasn't quite sure whether or not he was relieved or even more nervous after reading Wes' letter; it was some combination of the two, he supposed. Rose had been quiet throughout the entire letter, and looked as though she was trying to think of what to say.

"…I'm just glad he's alright," the green-eyed woman said at last. "After hearing about what happened before, I… I honestly didn't know what to think."

"That makes two of us," York agreed. "He's always been a bit reckless, but I guess I had been hoping he'd move past that without getting caught up in something this bad. At least it sounds like he's gotten a better grasp on things now."

"I'm not sure if that's how I would put it exactly, York. Physically, he might be recovering, but can you imagine how much harder it is for him with everyone else so angry at him? He's always had a hard time really getting along with others, and this… He's never had a teammate injured that badly before, and being the cause of not one or two, but _three _other hunters' injuries? It just seems that maybe sending him off like that so soon could have been a mistake."

"I think I'd prefer to see how he is in person before really saying that. He is young, and there's still a lot he needs to learn still. But do you remember how excited he was all those years ago, barreling through the front door with that advertisement in his hand? 'I'm going to be one of the first members of the Master Corps!' he said. He didn't even wait for one of us to say yes or no; he already decided it was what he wanted to do. For months, he worked day in and day out to prepare himself for these challenges. He studied monster ecology books, hunting tactics, weapon techniques… Anything he could get his hands on, he was all over it."

"You aren't wrong, but he did miss out on a lot of other things as well. He only really associated with Cass, Ilia, and that Sabrina girl when he was younger. Sure, he was always willing to go out of his way for them if he had to- and I really don't need to remind you about Cass' seventh birthday party to explain that- but he didn't really have many other friends besides that. It was hard getting him out to socialize sometimes, especially when he was deep into one of those hunting books you got him."

"Er… Guess I never really caught onto that," York mumbled, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "I always just assumed he was more interested in learning. I mean, I didn't go easy on the kid in training. He had it just as hard as the others, but somehow he managed to one-up them at every turn. He's really gifted as a hunter, Rose. I feel that a place like the Master Corps would be the best spot for him, somewhere people with a similar skill level are."

"Just because they're all good at hunting doesn't mean they act the same, York. The point is, this really shows why I was worried about sending him off in the first place; he's always had a hard time working with others, especially people he doesn't know. Even Cass and Ilia, people he _does _know, said he could sometimes be hard to get along with. I know he's a good hunter- you said it for years. But is he ready for that environment? What if that inability to work with others got him killed? What if we hadn't been going to Loc Lac for a hospital visit, but a funeral instead?"

"…It would have been the single greatest pain in my life," the hunter admitted, sighing in discomfort at the idea. "As a parent, I'd never be able to forgive myself for it. You're right, I really don't get the personal struggles Wes has to go through. You were always better at understanding those than I was. I just thought a small group of close friends was enough, like us when we were young. Fighting was all I was ever really great at, y'know? Comes from a childhood like mine, I suppose. But even with all of that crap on my shoulders, I still don't think it's a smart idea to pull him out of the Corps."

"Why not?"

"Well… What if I hadn't run from Crez? What if I never traveled to Pinleaf Village to become a hunter? I'd never have met you, or Hugh, or Zephyr until maybe _years _later. Then, all the times we've had together… well, they never would've happened. Sure, he is young, and maybe it is kinda early for him, but if we take away this experience from him, what lessons can he continue to learn?"

"You aren't wrong… We can't shelter him forever. Every bird has to leave the nest at some point. But I still can't help but worry about him," Rose said, standing up and walking across the room before placing her hands on her hips. After a moment, she turned around to face him, a new worry alight in her green eyes. "And a Stygian Zinogre? What is Balestra thinking, sending him after something that strong this soon after recovering?!"

"That's not something I can answer… That man is not an easy one to read. Whatever reasons he has for doing so, I'm sure they make perfect sense to him, and very little sense to everyone else. Something about him just rubs me the wrong way…"

"You say that about almost everyone you don't like, York. Still, you have a point… Maybe it's just his demeanor, but it's very hard to put much trust in the man. Especially not when our son's life involved."

"No argument from me. We didn't exactly see eye to eye during the council meeting a few months ago… But this all really boils down to Wes in the end. Stygian or not, I know for a fact that he has the ability to take a Zinogre down, especially with a team behind him. Hearing that Hugh will be there too is a relief, so long as Hugh doesn't try anything too stupid himself. I know Wes will be smart about this, Rose. You heard what he wrote. And, while I might be throwing my lot in a bit easily here, I get the feeling that he knows what he needs to do now. So, let's just pray for the best instead of getting worked up over the worst, huh?"

"You make a strong case there, York," his wife said after a moment, a light smile crossing her lips. "You did train him, after all. I know he'll be fine. Hunting isn't safe, but we both made it out in one piece, right? I just hope he doesn't let it get to his head again…"

"Okay, enough of the negativity," York laughed, getting to his feet as well. "We just learned that our son is awake and well, you sold a good deal more than usual today, and I've almost finished a revolutionary new design! If that isn't cause enough to be happy, then I'll drop dead right now. …See? I'm fine! So whaddya say we grab a bite to eat and do a little bit of stargazing? Just like old times."

"I suppose I could manage that," Rose smiled, embracing him warmly. "Sounds just perfect to me, my dear."

* * *

Wes let out a low breath as he landed on the rocky terrain beneath him, the large cloth chute settling onto the ground behind him as he began to remove the bag from his back. Admittedly, Wes had been nervous about this drop considering what happened last time he was in an airship, enough so that he made sure his chute was attached three separate times before the hatch opened up. Harlin landed just after him about half a dozen yards to the left, while Viper, Kat, and Hugh had already landed ahead of them and were regrouping by the entrance of the town, located just beyond the edge of the low rank Volcano hunting ground.

Looking off into the distance, Wes eyed the large Volcano in the center of the hunting ground, several miles away from their position. Even from this far, the glowing lava flows were visible on the sides of the mountain. A forest grew around the base of the volcano as well, though it was made up mostly of only tough trees accustomed to the harsh environment. The entire area was lit by the pale moon hanging above their heads, casting a bright glow upon the hard ground below their feet. It was calm, almost eerily so.

"Yo, enough sightseeing, man," Harin said, tapping the dual blade user lightly on the shoulder to get his attention. "The others are waiting on us."

"Yeah, sorry. Right behind you."

The pair made their way to the entrance of the village where the other three hunters were standing, talking with a pair of guards by the gate leading within. An old stone wall surrounded the perimeter of the village, and from what he could tell as he approached, the houses were very close together while the streets were quite wide. Strangely, he could see a few civilians going about their business inside the walls. Hugh was talking with one of the guards as well, seemingly shocked at what they were saying.

_Something isn't right. Why are the townspeople still here? Don't they know a Stygian Zinogre is heading right for them?!_

_Apparently not. Not many people buy their groceries before an impending monster attack, not even when there are great deals on Heaven Bread. In any case, I'd say you should probably find out more about this._

Agreeing with Silver's suggestion, Wes made his way to the entrance of the village, listening in on the conversation between the guard and Hugh.

"What do you mean, you weren't informed?! It's a bloody massive Stygian Zinogre! G-class, man! It's heading right for this town! How could you _not _have heard?!"

"Sir, if the Guild had informed us of an impending monster attack, we would have evacuated the town already. No reports came through our channels about an approaching monster within the last month or so, and that one time was a false alarm regarding a miniature Uragaan."

"That's not the problem! You need to get these people out of here before it shows up!"

"And how do you propose we do that? We don't have any airships here, our carriages are too slow, and the people would panic if it set its sights on them outside the town walls! Besides, the hunters who live here aren't G-level; this settlement isn't equipped well enough to engage a beast that powerful. The safest option for them would be to have them bunker down and defend the town gates instead."

The older hunter sighed in frustration before turning to the rest of the group.

"Well, shit… The town is still occupied, so we need to take down the Zinogre without it making it inside. There's maybe a dozen guards that can back us up in town, and a few hunters too, but none of them have the experience or the gear to handle a G-class monster. Any of you have suggestions for how we can avoid any unnecessary deaths?"

"We could always move ahead and intercept it before it reaches town," Harlin stated, pointing a thumb over his shoulder. "If we can cut it off and hunt it down in the badlands, it won't even come close to the village."

"That wouldn't work," Viper pointed out. "At least, it's extremely unlikely that it _would _work. Think about it; we just know that it's heading for this town, which means it could be coming from any point in the east," he continued, sweeping his arm from side to side. "If we choose to investigate the wrong direction, the town is down five hunters. If we fan out, that splits us up and lessens the chance of one of us not getting killed."

"Why not send out one or two of us to search while the rest stay behind to defend the town?" Kat asked. "That way, there's still strength in numbers, but if one group is attacked, they can send out a signal flare to alert the others."

"There's still a problem with that though," Wes said. "It'll take time for the others to respond to the flare. That means it could take anywhere from five minutes to an hour for either side to get back-up. And during that time, two hunters could get completely destroyed by that thing. I've seen what it can do; Hades is not a monster you want to take lightly."

"Alright, then here's the plan," Hugh said at last. "We have two hunters head out to the tops of those hills." The great sword user pointed to two separate mounds of earth about a hundred yards away, one in the northeast and one in the southeast. "They act as look outs. You see a fuzzy gray ball of death heading our way, you alert the town. The rest of us will hang back here and fortify the gate with cannons, ballista, anything the town has available. That keeps us aware of where the others are, and helps deal with the response time issue. Fair enough?"

The rest of the group nodded in agreement, though Wes furrowed his brow at something as the others began to converse more. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he felt… aware of something approaching, and fast. He noticed a slight thumping sound, as well as a low buzzing noise. Were those… claws clicking on stone too? As he listened, though, he noticed that the sounds- which he'd thought may have been coming from the volcano in the distance- were quickly growing louder and louder. Could it be…?

_Yes, it most likely is! Now, instead of standing there gawking like an idiot, how about you warn them or something?!_

"Guys, I don't think we have time for that plan!" the dual blade wielder said urgently, turning about to face the hill. The others glanced at him confusedly, though a moment later they saw a grey motion at the crest of the hill.

"Damn, it's here already?!" Hugh growled. The man pulled his helmet on and took a few steps forward as the beast began to saunter down the hill towards the village. "Wes, Kat, Viper you three head up to the top of the gates and man the ballistas! Make sure you get a few of those guards to help you out too! Harlin, you're with me out front. We need to keep it from getting inside the village!"

Wes almost protested the man's order, wishing for a chance to engage the beast as well, but something caught him before he could do so.

_Ah ah ah, not so fast, bucko! You need to hold the line, not run out in front of it!_

_But-!_

_No buts, Wes! You have a job, and following this plan is the smartest thing you can do at the moment! Now get you head in the game and move!_

"Alright, we're going!" Wes said, beginning to back away towards the gate. "Don't get yourself killed, old man!"

"I've fought tougher beasts than this, kid! Make sure you shut that gate too!"

"On it!"

The dual blade user turned and ran back towards the village alongside Kat and Viper, shouting to the village guards to watch the gate. Just as he passed through the gate, the thick steel bars dropped down from above, slamming into the ground and creating a solid barrier of metal. The hunters raced up the steps beside the entrance to the top of the wall surrounding the village, where a number of guards an hunters stood waiting. A pair of ballistas were set up on either side of the gate, with a large supply of ammo for them on a rack between the two.

"You man the guns," Viper said, motioning to the weapons. "Keep an eye out for the others down there, no need to spear anyone with a friendly shot!"

"Let's hop to it then!" Katrina replied, grabbing a number of the projectiles off the rack and making her way to the right side of the gate.

Wes took up position on the left ballista, and two of the town guards loaded a pair of the spears onto the weapon's rails for him. Another pair did likewise for Kat, while the other hunters that owned bows stood beside Viper, preparing to attack along with the archer. Their weapons were of a far lower quality than Viper's, but Wes figured it was the thought that counted. The majority of the town guard had set up a perimeter around the gate, keeping their lances trained on the entrance and their shields held before them.

Glancing around, Wes could tell that almost everyone there was terrified. The guards had uncertain looks in their eyes, and the low-ranked hunters were visibly shaking at the sight of such a powerful beast so close to their home. One of the guards helping man Wes' ballista turned back apprehensively, and for a moment Wes and he locked eyes. The man's expression changed after just a moment, and he glanced at the other two hunters that had accompanied the dual sword user. Several of the other guards and hunters did likewise, seemingly gaining confidence with each second.

_What is with all these looks they're giving me? _

_They're scared shitless, Wes. But think about it; they're also being led by a group of G-level hunters from the Master Corps. The cream of the crop, yeah? Sure, it's their home, and they don't stand a chance against something like that, but having guys like you on their side is a huge morale booster. Also explains why you're the guy looking like a badass aiming down the sights of a ballista instead of them. Guess you could say you really are in the spotlight this time, partner._

_Gods… I'm not quite sure I like that thought very much…_

_Hah, considering how you were before? Now THAT is ironic._

Turning his attention back towards the valley, Wes could see that Hades had already entered the valley, and that Hugh and Harlin had already made to engage the beast at close range. Wes and Kat fired their ballistas before their comrades reached the beast, striking the beast with one of the spears while the others embedded in the ground nearby. The guards quickly moved to reload the ballistas while Viper took a moment to aim before launching an arrow in a high arc. The arrow sailed through the air straight and true, embedding itself directly into the Zinogre's shoulder. The beast yelped in pain as the projectiles struck it, but it began to charge towards the approaching hunters, evading another volley of the projectiles.

"Alright, ya giant furball! Get ready for the fight of your life!" Hugh shouted, pulling his great sword free from his back as he leapt towards the wyvern, the blade sparking with large volts of blue electricity. The beast slid to a halt before the man's blade could strike it, and Hades prepared to lash out at him with one of its massive paws. The great sword user reacted quickly, though, pulling his blade free from the earth with one hand and swinging the weapon in a massive arc in front of him, clashing with the oncoming attack and deflecting the fanged wyvern's foot.

Harlin darted past the man and lunged towards the beast with his switch axe, ramming the head of the axe into the monster's chest with a short grunt. The Stygian Zinogre flinched slightly, but it recovered from Hugh's attack quickly enough to prevent Harlin from landing an overhand swing on its neck, leaping back a good thirty feet from the hunters.

As soon as they were clear, the hunters atop the town walls fired another volley of projectiles at the monster. Viper was the only one who could hit the beast with any consistency, though; the ballista seemed old and run down, barely slinging the projectiles in a straight path. The other hunters weren't nearly as skilled with a bow either, and anyone who even managed to reach that distance likely didn't even hit the beast. Wes cursed at the old weapon as another pair of shots landed far to either side of his target, missing completely.

"Don't we have anything more accurate than these ancient relics?!"

"We have a cannon set up over there, but its range isn't nearly as good as the ballista!" one of the guards responded, pointing over to the weapon about twenty feet away. "It can only hit as far as the white stones we set up outside in the field."

Wes glanced out into the battleground, noting several white stones piled up about forty yards away. Hades was still almost seventy yards from the village, and while it would occasionally move closer to the village during its fight with Hugh and Harlin, it wasn't near the stones yet.

"Damn… it isn't close enough for the cannon at all, but the ballista is almost worthless at this distance…"

Wes briefly contemplated climbing down the wall and running ahead to join the other two hunters in the field, but Silver again repressed that thought almost the second it came up.

_Your place is here right now! It doesn't matter how shitty the weapons are, you have a job to help out on the garrison!_

_There's literally a small army here! I'm pretty sure they can do this just as well as I can!_

_They aren't you, Wes! Look at them! Half of them are scared shitless, and the other half are looking to the three hunters standing alongside them as leaders! You break file now, you send them all into a panic, and then what happens to the town when Hades breaks in?!_

…

_That's what I thought. Now get shooting, before- GET DOWN!_

Wes glanced up quickly, just in time to see several large orbs of reddish energy hurtling towards them. He immediately ducked low, covering his head with his arms as one of the orbs slammed into the ballista he was manning and blasted it to pieces, showering him with debris. The two guards on either side of the device had been caught reloading the weapon, and were both blasted back by a large eruption of black and red lightning.

"Dammit... Someone help me give these guys a hand!" Wes shouted, grabbing hold of one of the fallen men and pulling him away from the ruined ballista. The dual blade wielder flinched as a jolt of the reddish electricity flickered across the man's armor and zapped his arm, leaving the entire appendage feeling a bit numb. "Bah, dragon element…"

One of the bowmen had moved to help the other guard that had been helping man Wes' ballista, pulling him back towards the hunter. Another one of the blue-armored men helped get the one Wes had been helping moved down the steps and out of danger; the blast had rendered both almost immobile, as the dragon element had not only weighed down their armor but had struck their bodies as well, leaving their limbs almost unable to function properly.

Returning to the front of the garrison, Wes saw that Hades had begun moving closer to the town despite Hugh and Harlin's efforts. The pair were doing a good job of fighting the beast, but it was just too big to force it from approaching. Still, it was only about fifty yards away now…

"Wes, man that cannon over there!" Viper shouted, pointing towards the weapon with an arrow. "It's almost close enough to use it!"

"Got it! You three, give me a hand with it!" the dual blade wielder ordered, pointing to the nearest group of guards. The men nodded and joined the hunter in running over to the weapon, one of them leveling the barrel of the cannon while Wes and the others hefted cannon balls from the pile beside the weapon. He nearly dropped it in surprise; he never remembered them being this heavy before! Were these higher grade shells maybe? Whatever the reason, he tightened his grasp on the projectile and carried it over to the cannon, awkwardly placing the orb inside. The guard immediately struck the small plate on the side of the weapon, firing the ball directly at the fanged beast.

Just in time too, since it had pinned Harlin beneath its foot and was about to bite down on the switch axe user's pauldron. The shell detonated right next to the monster, engulfing a part of its hide in a large burst of flames and causing it to rear back in surprise, allowing the switch axe user to roll away. Wes was somewhat surprised, though; the blast didn't seem any stronger than an ordinary shell would cause. If that was the case, why were these cannon balls so much heavier than the similarly shaped weights he had been used to practicing with before? Now that he thought about it, aiming the ballista had been a fair bit harder to do as well… Maybe it was just the weapons showing their age?

"Come on hunter, we need more shots at the ready!" the guard shouted, shaking the dual blade wielder from his momentary trance. The others had already fired their shells and were busy grabbing more ammo to fire. Wes immediately went to grab another cannon ball, but before he could make his way to the stack he heard another one of the guards shout out in surprise.

"Another volley! Look out!"

Wes spared a quick glance to the side in time to see one of the red orbs flying towards him, a dark red bug at its core. Wes barely managed to twist himself around the orb, which struck nearby the stack of cannonballs a few yards to his side as Wes slid to a stop a few feet over, breathing a short sigh of relief. One of the other guards placed his ammo inside the cannon, racing around the opposite side of the cannon while the other waited for the chance to load his shell in. The hunter made to run towards the stack and get another shell, though he saw a small red flicker across the stack of explosives before he even took a single step.

The next thing he knew, Wes was being thrown across the garrison by a huge explosion, slamming hard into the ground shoulder first. The only thing that kept him from rolling off the platform was one of the stone parapets lining the top of the wall, slamming into the stone back first and nearly causing him to black out. His hearing was muted, though he could hear several muffled shouts nearby as he pushed himself onto his arms, trying to shake the black dots from his vision.

"es… Wes….! C'mon, are you alright?!"

The dual blade wielder slowly glanced to the side, seeing Kat crouched beside him with an urgent look on her face. Far behind the huntress, he could see a huge section of the garrison was covered in a thick black soot, and the cannon was gone completely. Several chunks of stone were missing as well, and several men- including the ones that had been helping Wes on the cannon- were laying motionless on the ground around them. A few flinched and began to move slightly, while others groaned in pain, but Wes was worried most about the ones who didn't move at all.

"What… What happened…?"

"The dracophage bug set off the cannonballs! It almost took out the entire platform!"

"Son of a… Dammit, what about- agh!" the hunter groaned in pain as he attempted to push himself up, his whole body racked with pain. He didn't remember hurting this bad since… well, since the Silver Rathalos, but even before that, he hadn't recalled feeling nearly as beat up. Kat immediately handed him a honey-infused potion from her pouch, which the hunter gratefully downed in two short gulps. He felt better almost immediately, though he knew he was still in rough shape.

"Just try to take it easy, Wes," Kat urged, helping him back onto his feet. "You need to-"

"No! I can still fight!" he said, despite the aches in his body. "I'm not going to hang back while the rest of you keep going!"

"Well, you'd better get ready then!" Viper shouted over to them. "That last volley took out Kat's ballista too! We don't have any other options up here!"

The dual blade wielder glanced down into the valley again, seeing that Harlin had been knocked across the field by one of the beast's previous attacks. Hugh was busy fighting off the Stygian Zinogre, but it was closer to the gate than ever. Even with his strength, Hugh couldn't hold it back forever…

Or even a few more seconds, unfortunately. The beast leapt through the air towards the man, and while he was able to raise his great sword up defensively, it turned out that it hadn't been aiming for him. The Zinogre sailed straight over the man's head and slammed into the iron gates to the village with the entire force of its body, breaking the caged metal barricade down easily. A good portion of the wall above the gate caved in as well, having been severely weakened by the explosion from earlier. There were several shouts from the guards surrounding the gate as the hellish beast broke through the entrance to the village in a shower of cobblestone and steel.

"Come on, we've gotta move!" Viper urged, racing over to the other side of the wall and training his bow on the creature within. Wes and Kat raced over to the steps leading down to the ground, though Wes cursed upon seeing the town guards retreating towards the center of the village, the beast pressing them back down the main road.

"Not good…" The hooded hunter leapt off the side of the staircase, catching hold of the roof nearest him and pulling himself up onto the top of the structure. Fortunately the houses were relatively close together, and only two of the structures were taller than the others in the row, but Wes still had to race across six buildings in pursuit of the fanged beast, leaping down a good four yards from the roof of the second to last building and rolling to a stop on the top of the last one. Hades was to his immediate left, and the rest of his group was trailing far behind on the main road. There had to be some way he could stop it from heading any farther into town…

_Bah, look what you've got us into now!_

_Not a good time for this, Silver!_

_I realize that, but dammit, quit getting blown up already! Head injuries make it harder for me to do my job too!_

The hunter let out a frustrated grunt before racing towards the side of the house and leaping off the side, extending his left wrist blade as he soared through the air towards the beast. He landed on the hellish monster's back hard, sinking the blade into its hide while grasping onto its fur with his other hand. The hunter gritted his teeth as the beast tried to throw him off, whipping its body around frantically in surprise at his attack. Still, Wes forced himself to hold on, stabbing his wrist blade into Hades' back whenever he had the opportunity. Though the small weapon couldn't do much against the beast of that size, he couldn't afford to use one of his dual blades in a position this precarious. He couldn't even tell where the others were since he was moving around so much, but he hoped they were getting close, as his grip was beginning to fail.

The Zinogre continued to buck around wildly, however, giving Wes no chance for respite. The spikes lining its back dug into the hunter's arms and torso, and while his armor kept them from puncturing his skin, they still caused a degree of discomfort for him. Not only that, but his grip on the beast's fur was shaky at best; the dracophage bugs living beneath the grey hairs were to blame for that. He was just glad it hadn't charged itself up yet, otherwise he'd probably have been fried by dragon element too…

He could only hold on for another few seconds though, eventually being thrown free from its back with a surprised shout. The hunter slammed into the wall of a nearby building that had been undergoing reconstruction, breaking through the wooden scaffolding and falling into the house itself. He grunted as he hit the floor, rolling over backwards once and colliding with a small table up against the back wall. There was a slight rattling above him, and the next thing Wes knew there was a loud crash against the top of his head, dazing him badly enough to blur his vision. The last thing he recalled seeing was a figure approaching him from the side.

_I… Think I need a break…_

_Me… too… Medic!_

_What're you…_

* * *

"_Well, I can see what York meant about Wes inheriting his crazy-minded hunting techniques from him_," Hugh thought with a grin, seeing the hunter struggling to hold onto the Zinogre as it attempted to shake him off.

Harlin had to stay back with a few of the other guards and hunters to tend his injuries, leaving the great sword user with only Viper and Kat at the moment. The three were making their way towards the beast in the center of town, with the archer taking up his position on top of the roof opposite where Wes had leapt onto the beast's back. Kat was running alongside Hugh, ready to spring into action.

As they neared the fanged beast, though, Wes was finally thrown from the creature's back, breaking through the wall of a nearby house that seemed to be undergoing some repairs. Hugh cursed lowly; he knew Wes wouldn't be too badly injured from that, but who knew how long it would take him to get out from there. Hopefully it wouldn't be too long, but for now, they'd have to focus on getting this monster out of the town.

"Time to party, hunters!" he shouted, grabbing hold of his great sword and slashing it across the Stygian Zinogre's chest. The beast howled in pain as it reeled back, and while Hugh brought his sword around again the long sword user darted past him, her sword a blur of steel and lightning element as she swung it upwards into the side of the hellish beast's neck. It was a shallow wound, but enough to spray the ground with the monster's blood. Kat quickly leapt to the side as the beast attempted to crush her beneath its paw, slashing beneath its leg as she did so. A moment later, a small volley of arrows pierced the beast's other side, splashing the ground with both blood and a purple liquid the man identified as poisonous arrow coating.

Rushing towards the beast, Hugh swung his great sword in a wide upwards sweep, the blade humming with electricity as it neared the lupine creature's head. Though the blade came close to cutting into the Zinogre's jaw, the wyvern pulled its head back at the last moment, causing Hugh's sword to miss by barely a few inches. Hades retaliated by swinging its tail around and slamming the lash into the side of the man's sword, knocking the weapon clear out of his grip near the peak of his swing. The Abyssal Lagiacrus weapon humming loudly as it slid down an alleyway across the market.

"Well, that's a problem," Hugh sighed, jumping backwards to evade a follow up stamp from the wyvern; the impact had enough strength to crack the stones beneath its paw and cause several of the stands around them to shake from the tremor it caused. The sudden tail swing had caught Katrina unawares, knocking the long sword user into a fruit stand a few dozen yards away, while a number of dracophage bugs had launched towards Viper, forcing him to back off to avoid the red orbs of dragon element. Hugh simply grinned up at the beast that towered above him through his helmet, reaching back and twisting a small dial on the back of his armor. "Alright Joshua, let's see whether or not this suit works as well as you said it does!"

There was a subtle click in the man's helm, and he felt a short surge throughout the entirety of the suit. The previously black tubes that connected his arms and legs to the pack on his back began to glow a bright orange instead as fuel began to run through the armor's circuits. The openings on his greaves and vambraces were likewise glowing a vibrant hue. The suit remained cool, even as flames began to flicker up from within the braces. Clenching his fists tightly, Hugh's grin only grew wider as a torrent of flames erupted from the openings on his arms and legs, searing the air around him and causing the hellish beast to leap back in surprise at the rush of fire.

"Hah! Now _that's _what I'm talking about!" Hugh laughed, bringing his arms up into a combat stance. "I'd say you'd make a nice hat when I'm through with ya, but by the time I'm done with ya you'll be too tanned for anything better than a couch!"

The hunter charged towards the beast as it lunged at him, baring its fangs menacingly. The hunter slid to a stop and raised up one of his hands before the hellish wyvern reached him though, catching the Zinogre's snout in his palm as he braced himself. Hugh slid back a few feet, maintaining an iron grip on the beast's face as it struggled against his grip. He clenched his free hand into a fist, causing more flames to erupt from the back of the brace, as well as some to flare out from the front of the dragon head-shaped gauntlets, engulfing his arm and hand as well.

"Here comes Ifrit!" Hugh shouted, swinging his fist straight into the Zinogre's jaw with a massive burst of flames. The beast howled in pain, its head being thrown upwards by the hunter's sheer strength. Hugh followed up by swinging his leg around and unleashing a blazing kick into the monster's exposed abdomen, sending it reeling across the ground onto its side with another blaze of heat. Its back now open to him, the man leapt forwards, slamming both of his fists into Hades' back plates before following up with several kicks and punches, each one scorching the beast's fur more and more. The hellish wyvern let out a pained howl as the man relentless struck its back over and over again before finally managing to right itself, launching a number of dracophage bugs at him as it did so. Hugh threw himself out of the way, rolling to the side and preparing for the beast to charge again, though Kat and Viper had begun attacking once more, stopping it dead in its tracks.

The archer landed several more shots on the beast's side while Kat slashed at its hind legs in an attempt to keep it from moving. The beast tried to launch several more dragophage bugs at Viper, but the golden-eyed man was too quick for them to strike him as he hopped to the side and ran across the rooftops circling the town center. The beast eventually gave up on trying to strike him and instead twisted around to strike at Katrina, catching her off guard by deflecting her long sword with the thick bone plating covering its arms. The huntress immediately threw herself backwards to get away from the beast, its paw slamming into the space she had occupied a second before. As it did, though, a large amount of dragon element began to build up around its other leg, causing several bolts of dragon element to shoot out from the appendage as it raised its arm up for the kill.

"Not on my watch, pup!"

Viper vaulted off the roof he had been standing atop of moments before, turning himself over in midair as he reached back into his quiver. There was a subtle, yet noticeable flash of yellow in the archer's visible eye and around his drawing hand, and quicker than he had ever done so before Viper nocked and loosed an arrow directly into the back of the Zinogre's paw, knocking it to the side slightly. It only took a split second for another arrow to be loosed from the man's bow, and another, and another after that, until he had shot five arrows into the hellish beast's back and paw, all in the span of about two seconds. His shots had thrown the beast's paw off badly enough that it completely missed the huntress below, who immediately rolled back and darted away from the monster. Viper finished his twist in the air and landed deftly beside a market stall, rolling behind the wooden stand as the beast turned to face him angrily.

"Not bad, kid! Now it's my turn!" Hugh grinned, rushing towards the Zinogre while its attention was away. He rammed into its side with a shoulder charge, knocking the beast a few feet over from the force of the impact, and he followed up with a trio of well-placed fire punches to its side, topping it off with a spinning kick to the wyvern's forearm, cracking off a large bit of Hades' claw in doing so. He would have kept going had the beast not leapt back to evade another attack from the man, though Viper immediately stuck an arrow in its shoulder the second it paused to growl at the hunters.

"We need to get it out of the village, Hugh!" the archer shouted from behind the market stall he was using as cover. "We're risking too much collateral damage, and it's still occupied!"

"Leave that to me! Kat, go and open up the western gates! We'll drive it out towards the volcano!" The huntress quickly went to do as he said, and Viper darted over to the side to find a new spot to fire at Hades from. Hugh grinned as more draconic sparks began to build up around the beast's back, adrenaline coursing through his veins. "Ready for another beating, furball?!"

* * *

_Wake up._

_Ugh… What…?_

_Wake up already, Wes! Gods above, they're fighting for their lives out there and you're just taking a nap in someone else's home! And you didn't even pay for rent!_

_Silver, I just got __**thrown through a building. **__I also almost got __**blown up. **__Give me a break!_

_Break's over, numbskull! You've got a giant monster to fight!_

Wes grimaced as he forced his eyes open, still feeling extremely groggy and beat up. He was propped up against a wall, and all of his equipment was still on him, much to his relief. The hunter glanced around the room a bit more, noting that it was somewhat bare on one side, while the other looked very lived in. Beside a small kitchen, he saw a brown-haired woman mixing something into a small red jar. She looked to be a civilian, maybe an alchemist based on the various ingredients strewn across one of the tables. She glanced over at him after a moment, noticing that his eyes were now open.

"Ah, good. You're awake at last. Are you alright, hunter?"

"Could… be better," he replied, shaking his head a bit. He still felt extremely dizzy and battered, though he tried to force himself up regardless.

"Well, you certainly are made of something sturdy," the woman said, glancing over at Wes as he shakily got to his feet. "That, or something incredibly stupid… Really, you ought to keep yourself right where you were and rest up."

"No time for that… That others need my help," he grunted, taking a step forwards and planting his hand on the table in front of him to keep himself from toppling over.

"This is exactly what gets you hunters killed all the time… Always rushing in without worrying about your own health first." The woman let out a low sigh and turned to face the hunter, holding out the small jar towards him. "At least take this before you head out there again."

Though he hesitated for a moment, the dual blade wielder accepted the jar and downed the contents. Despite how incredibly bitter it was, we could feel the concoctions effects almost immediately; all his aches and pains were beginning to disappear, and his head was clearing up more as well. Within moments, he felt as though he had never even been wounded at all.

"What was that?"

"Something that should make your injuries a thing of the past now. You will also find that you have much more energy as well."

"T… thanks," Wes replied, handing the jar back to the woman. "I guess I owe you for this."

"You can repay me by driving that beast out of our town. Now then, go on. You can take either the door or the hole you left in my wall."

Wes glanced over at the large hole he had caused, his face flushing a little. "I'll… take the door."

"Good luck then, hunter. Remember, you must learn your own bounds before you can surpass them…"

The hunter raised an eyebrow at the strange woman's cryptic remark, but he quickly pushed his questions from his thoughts and made his way to the door, flinging it open and stepping back out into the street. Immediately upon exiting the building he was greeted by the site of Viper slamming into the ground in front of him, chunks of wood and small merchandise raining down around him.

"Frickin' bugs," the archer groaned, pushing himself up after sliding to a stop. He glanced up in surprise seeing Wes standing there. "Well, finally back in the game, huh Wes?"

"Couldn't stay in there forever. Don't have enough zenni on me for rent anyways. I take it the fight isn't going well?"

"You could say that. No matter how many times we hit the thing, it just won't go down or flee! Harlin just got back too, so he and Hugh have been fighting it while Kat's been opening the western gate. I've just been taking whatever potshots I can. By the way, your Uncle is _fucking insane._"

"Like, more insane than usual, or…?"

Wes' question was answered as the black-armored man came into view, streams of fire bursting out from his arms and legs as he fought against the Stygian Zinogre with nothing but his fists and feet. He was laughing the entire time, clearly having the time of his life with this fight.

"Okay, yeah, that's about normal," Wes sighed.

Glancing around, he could see that almost all the market stalls that had been set up in the center of the stone town had been completely flattened by Hades' rampage, leaving very little cover on ground level for the hunters to use. However, several bits of wood and debris were lit on fire as well, leaving it fairly obvious that the monster wasn't the only one to blame for the smashed stands.

"I'm going to head up to the rooftops to get a better angle on it," Viper remarked, collapsing his bow and slinging it across his back. "I'd say you should help out down here, but the way he's slinging fire around, it'd probably be safer to back off and wait for an opening."

"Actually, I think I'll take both of your suggestions," the dual blade wielder remarked, glancing up at one of the roof tops nearby the monster. Maybe if he attacked it from above again, the others could land stronger hits of their own! "When it looks like I'm about to jump on it, hold your fire."

"This'll end well…" Viper muttered, dashing alongside the dual sword user and scaling the side of the building, using a few wooden crates to push himself higher up the home's façade.

Wes and Viper swiftly made their way across the rooftops, though Viper stopped about halfway to Wes' destination to resume firing arrows at Hades. Wes couldn't help but note that every so often, the archer was able to draw and fire his bow in a much more rapid succession than before, and this occurrence was usually preceded by a slight yellow flash around the archer's hand. He'd seen it happen a few times before, but he could never quite put his finger on how Viper pulled it off.

Turning his attention back to the situation at hand though, Wes slid to a stop on the roof above the Stygian Zinogre as Hugh pushed it back towards the southern part of the market. The black-armored man let out a loud shout as he drove his fist into the beast's torso with enough force to push it back several feet, reeling back onto its hind legs from the force of the blow.

_Now's your chance!_

_Got it!_

Wes raised both of his swords aloft, crossing them as a red aura formed around his body to signify his activation of Demon Mode. Though he began to feel the draining effects of the aura immediately, the hunter darted forward and pushed off from the ledge of the building as soon as he was sure Viper had ceased firing. The hunter launched forward like a tornado of blades, spinning about in midair and slashing into Hades' hide half a dozen times as the beast fell forwards again. Wes quickly propelling himself downwards with a simultaneous slash from both of his scimitars, cutting deeply into the Stygian Zinogre's shoulder as he passed. As he landed, the hunter spun about twice more, the edges of his blades tearing into the bone plating on the creature's forelegs and cracking several bits of the hard plates off, only a moment after the fanged beast's claws had hit the stone.

Hades roared in pain, staggering to the side from the hunter's surprise assault, and Hugh took advantage of its stunned state to charge at the beast, flames blazing from the openings on his greaves. Practically leaving a trail of flames on the ground behind him, the black-armored man leapt into the air and drove both of his legs into the creature's side, pushing it back another several yards with a flaming dropkick, forcing the beast down the western road.

While he recovered, Harlin took his chance to charge past the others, shifting his weapon into sword form and using the hooked edge of the blade to tear up a thin line in the cobblestone street. He thrust the tip of his weapon into the newly-formed crevasse and loosed a discharge of water element from the blade's length, launching a massive wave of water into Hades' body that pushed it back another several yards, while also sending the switch axe user sliding backwards from the blast. Hugh and Wes charged after the wounded monster as several more of Viper's arrows flew over their heads, striking the beast repeatedly, though some bounced off the particularly hard parts of the hellish beast's plating. Before the two hunters could attack again, Katrina suddenly rushed in from the top of another house, leaping down onto the beast and slashing it across the torso with her long sword. The huntress twisted about and thrust the tip of her blade at Hades, stabbing shallowly into its torso with a small burst of electricity. The beast backed up several more yards to avoid another strike from the huntress, though it quickly realized how cramped the space around it was and rushed the remaining distance out of the western gate, exiting the town at last.

"Alright, time to finish this!" Hugh roared charging ahead of the others as more flames began to flare out from the openings in his armor. Wes had to raise his arm to his face to protect himself from the intense heat his Uncle's armor was emitting, lowering it in a stunned silence as the man rushed towards the hellish creature. The Zinogre responded by twisting itself around and flipping over backwards, attempting to slam its tail down on the man, but Hugh merely brought his arms up and braced himself for the oncoming attack.

"What in the seven hells is he doing?!" Harlin shouted, not understanding why the man wasn't making to dodge the deadly strike. His answer came a moment later when Hades' lash slammed down on the man. Instead of being crushed beneath the appendage, Hugh managed to catch hold of the beast's tail, using his incredible strength to hold the lash back and save himself from injury.

"Did he just… Did he _catch its tail?!" _Viper asked incredulously. "How strong is this son of a bitch?!"

"You're about to find out," Wes grinned, watching his uncle take step to the side throw the monster's lash to the ground.

Hugh rushed forward and took hold of the beast's leg, tightening his grasp around the appendage while the wyvern glanced back in surprise, as if it couldn't tell what he was doing. With a huge roar of effort, Hugh began to pull the monster around to the side, its claws scraping against the hard ground loudly as it tried to dig into the earth. An even more intense torrent of flames began to erupt from Hugh's gauntlets as he began to pull the hellish creature in a wide circle around him, picking up speed as he did so.

Once, twice, three times he spun the fanged wyvern around himself, eventually raising it completely off the ground as he did so. The rest of the hunters could only watch in stunned silence as the master hunter let out a ferocious roar of effort, spinning the massive beast around once more before releasing his grasp on it, throwing it a solid forty yards away from the village and into the side of a large rock, completely demolishing the boulder with the creature's mass.

"Hahah! That should be worth a solid ten in my book!" Hugh laughed, boisterously flexing his arms as the flames on his gauntlets began to die down once more. "I am loving this suit!"

The man paused for a moment, though, as Hades once again rolled onto its legs, glaring intensely at the group of hunters. Wes and the others quickly ran up to Hugh's side, raising their weapons at the wounded beast. Its gaze trailing across the team, the beast seemed to be contemplating its next move, though Wes could tell it was hurting really badly; the hellish beast's breathing was ragged, and it was bleeding badly from the many wounds across its body, many of which had been cauterized by Hugh's blazing attacks.

After a moment, the Zinogre let out a low growl and turned tail, racing up the large hill behind it and off towards the mountain in the distance with a noticeable limp. It left a large trail of blood on the ground beneath it as it ran, and while the hunters rushed forwards to see where it had gone, the beast was already far off in the distance by the time they crested the top of the hill.

"Damn, it got away," Wes muttered, sheathing his blades across his back. "Well, at least the town is safe now. Apart from the destroyed market and the damage to the front gate, at least…"

"And that hole you left in the side of that person's house," Viper quipped, slinging his bow across his back and breathing a sigh of relief. "The town guard had a pretty rough go of it too; good thing most of them ran off when it broke through the gate, else there may not be a single one left."

"I hate to be that guy who ruins the moment, but we aren't through here," Harlin interjected, resting his hands on the pommel of his switch axe and leaning over the weapon. "We had to protect the town, but we also have to kill Hades for certain. Last two times its run off, it came back again and caused even more damage later on. We've gotta put that dog down for good this time."

"Why not catch our breaths before running in after it though?" Kat suggested. "After all of that, I think we need whatever rest we can afford before going after it again."

"I'm with Bubbles on this one," Viper agreed. "We can't walk into a fight like this without being fully prepared for it. Even after all of that, we still didn't manage to bring it down, and a cornered beast is more dangerous than normal. Especially when that 'beast' is a one-ton lightning dragon-wolf."

"I think it might be a bit heavier than that, but yeah, I see your point. Let's stock up on what we can before finishing this fight," Wes said, gazing back at the small gray and red beast that was disappearing into the trees surrounding the base of the volcano. A small orange splash on the ground next to him drew his attention though; a few drops of liquid were leaking out from one of the tubes connecting Hugh's bracers to the pack attached to his back. "Uncle, you might have a problem there…"

"Huh? What?" The man glanced down, and seeing the bright liquid leaking out of his braces her immediately turned the dial on the back of his suit, stemming the flow of the liquid and causing the tunes to return to their dark, empty state. "Hrm… That could be an issue. Must've put a little too much strain on the suit after all."

"Is that a problem? You can still fight, right?" Katrina asked, glancing at the small crack in the tube.

"Oh, I definitely _can, _but I'm not quite sure I _should,_" the man grumbled in response. "The guy who designed this said that the fuel was pretty volatile, and it was only when it was contained within the tubes that it could be used safely. I'm not really sure about all the details about it, but the closest thing I can say about it is that walking into the volcano like this would basically be like setting off a giant firework."

"I suppose that means no then," Harlin sighed, slinging his weapon across his back. "That's just great…"

"Well now, don't sound so depressed about it!" Hugh laughed, removing his helmet. "The four of you are experts yourselves, after all! I'm pretty sure you can handle a wounded Stygian Zinogre without and old man like me holding you back."

"Holding us back? You practically did all the work," Viper said. "You literally kicked the crap out of a gold-crown sized monster! Then you _threw it across a field!"_

"Exactly! I gotta leave some parts of the story for the rest of you young whippersnappers, yeah? Can't go around hogging all the glory! I've already had several adventures of my own. I leave the finale of this one to you."

"Gods above Uncle, you aren't that old," Wes chuckled, crossing his arms and shaking his head. "Still, not like I'd want you exploding the second you step into the volcano. That's hardly the blaze of glory you'd want to go out in."

"You're damn right! I'll stay in the village and start helping the locals out with regrouping while you finish Hades off then. Let's head back in and get you restocked before sending you off to finish the job."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Viper said, turning to make his way back to the village along with the others. Wes spared one more glance in the direction Hades had fled towards, somewhat excited at the prospect of finally bringing the monster down for good, but knowing that they'd still have a difficult fight ahead.

_Whatever you've got, you won't stop us from hunting you too, beast._

_You tell him, partner._

_Silver, can I please just have one moment to sound cool to myself? Please?_

_There'll be time for that once Hades is a pile of pelts and claws in your item chest, Wes. Now let's get moving… And for the record, you did good back there._

_No, we did._

* * *

**Author Notes: Please review! Man oh man, how I have been waiting to get to this chapter. I got to do so much in so little time, and I loved it all. Hopefully you did too, faithful reader; it was about time for a real action-heavy chapter after all that time away from it, and the fight scene last chapter wasn't as long as it really could have been. Rest assured, if this didn't tide you over, then next chapter will essentially consist of one humongous action sequence. Yay, violence! And for those of you interested in what amazing musical piece I picked out for this fight, well... I just went with the standard Zinogre theme, actually. In terms of character themes (which I haven't gotten around to in _FOREVER)_ Hugh's is "To Be Loved" by Papa Roach. It pretty much fits him like a glove.**

**One aspect I've been trying to get with the "Virgil Memories" is a more detailed look into the Oath Keepers plot about how they fell, as you all know. Still, it's rather fun writing the scenes, considering Virgil is very similar to York, aside from being much more polite yet subtle with his snarkiness. I did have a bit of a struggle remembering that I spelled his name with an "I" instead of an "E", though... I can blame Devil May Cry for that, considering Vergil is Virgil's namesake. Confusing enough yet?**

**And speaking of Devil May Cry, fans of the series who played the first game should recognize Hugh's armor as the Ifrit devil arms Dante acquires about midway through the game. After playing through most of the game using the Alastor sword, I wasn't particularly sure how much I'd enjoy Ifrit's moveset, as I really loved the lightning sword idea. Well, considering the flaming gauntlets made it in instead, I think that pretty much answers itself. It also meshes well with Hugh's firey personality and extreme physical strength. Yes, Hugh is _very strong. _I actually considered doing a supplementary chapter that focused on him and Frost having an arm wrestling contest, but I had to toss it considering how short it would be. Again, Hugh is _that strong. _**

**So, clearly there was a lot of really ham combat in the later half of this chapter, mostly on Hugh's end. I've begun incorporating a few more 4U moves into the combat this time around, like Hugh's sideways great sword swing and Wes' demon air raid, the latter of which is becoming one of my favorite moves to use with the dual blades. As I'm sure you could see during the garrison half, one of the main aspects of the fight was Wes' own difficulties keeping himself from rushing out to join the others in the field, and Silver's influence in reigning him back in. Ultimately, the real show of teamwork Wes will display with the others will appear next chapter during the final confrontation with Hades, which will also display some more of Silver's capabilities too. Huehuehuehuehue... Do I have plans for that.**

**Probably my favorite concept about Silver is his own weaknesses. As a mental entity, you'd think he's impervious to damage, right? Well, that's not quite so; whenever Wes takes a head injury or otherwise has something going on around there, Silver gets affected too. This is more subtle here, but expect some quirky behavior from him in the future (especially considering I threw a Team Fortress 2 reference in his lines this time around).**

**And, aside from all the action, I also got to introduce a character very important to a certain other character's backstory. While the woman from the house Wes crashed through won't appear much apart from this scene, it'll still tie in very well with some of the upcoming chapters I have planned out. Man, I love introducing new and mysterious plot points all the time... It adds to the adventure and confusion!**

**Now, I'm also sure a few of you are surprised at York getting the parts for a new armor set, considering it's been an Assassin's Creed 3 reference since The Hunter's Oath. Honestly, I've been debating switching sets for him for a very long time, including giving him an outfit similar to Ezio's or even Achilles' original outfit from AC3. However, while playing through some arena matches in 4U, I came across two sets that caught my eye: the Guild Knight set and the Black Belt set. While individually, I don't really like either set as a whole (Guild Knight in particular: those shoulders are way too poofy, and that hat is just ridiculous), both contained aspects that really appealed to me. Literally the second I saw them, I was able to draft up a design for what York's new set would be, and those two sets are instrumental in that design. This all occurred right before I started writing this chapter, so lucky me, I was able to introduce that point sooner rather than later!**

**Online has been quite fun for me whenever my internet connection here at college was up to snuff (which was not as often as I'd like). I'm well into the G Special quests, and I've been thoroughly enjoying the use of dual blades once more. Yes, I finally moved on from being a charge blade addict after all. So, now my character title is "Triple Dual Blades"! Cuz I can swing them that fast. Also, I'm really noticing that a lot of G Rank armors this time around have capes. While I'm more of a long coat person myself (dashboardgecko is the cape lover, as I learned in a discussion we had a while back), I have to admit that I like the way they've been added. Still, I feel they'd get in the way of a weapon class like dual swords, so how my character manages to not get stuck in the cape of his Kushala X set while launching himself into a spinning death tornado is something that will forever remain a mystery to me. **

**I've also noticed that the incentive for clearing all of the caravan quests is a "rainbow" color option for armors. ****Personally, I think it's the dumbest thing ever, since it makes some people look like a walking LSD trip, but to each their own, I guess. I was kinda hoping for a "hide helmet" option more than anything. I mean, why go to all the trouble of making a customizable character if they wear a closed helmet all the time? The female characters escape from that for the most part, but it'd be nice to see my character's appearance without suffering a defense and skill penalty. Plus, it would go with the idea behind the Ace Hunters too; they'd have sucked if you couldn't see what they looked like, despite the commander's hair being an actual helmet available in game. So, here's to hoping MH5 will include that feature.**

**Playing: MH4U, Hyrule Warriors, Super Smash Bros. 3DS/Wii U**

**Reading: The Lost Civilization: DLC by dashboardgecko**

**Watching: NCH Monster Hunter Shorts, which I would HIGHLY recommend you take a look at, since they're freaking hilarious**

**Listening to: HW Soundtrack, Monster Hunter Orchestra**


	22. Hades

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 22- Hades

Wes sighed, glancing around the ruined marketplace of the small town, where he was joined by most of the town's population. Fortunately, almost no one's home was damaged much apart from a few that had taken a hit from a dracophage bug, so the townspeople weren't stranded without shelter. Still, the eastern gate had been completely destroyed, and there were at least a dozen guards or hunters that were injured in the fight. The dual blade user had seen a few being carted away, blankets covering their motionless bodies; it didn't take much for him to realize what had happened to them.

Still, Wes couldn't seem to feel as bad about the situation as he thought he should. Sure, it sickened him to know that so many had died because of Hades, and he really wanted to set out after the wyvern and put a stop to its attacks for good, but that wasn't what confused Wes. He was confused about why he wasn't more sorrowful over those lives lost. He'd been more concerned about the bandit he'd slain in the Flooded Forest ruins than these people, even though they had fought alongside him and helped him. So… why didn't he care as much?

Looking to the side, the blue- and green-eyed hunter saw the elderly woman from before, the one who had helped him with a miracle potion after he was thrown through her house. He felt a little bad about the hole he had left in the wall of her home, despite not having had any control over where Hades would have thrown him. Still, partly out of guilt and more out of gratitude, the hunter approached the grey-haired alchemist.

"Hey, uh… Excuse me, miss?"

"About time you came around, hunter," the woman replied, keeping her gaze fixated on the ruined market of her town. "So, it looks like you managed to drive that giant beast out of here after all."

"Well, we did, yeah," Wes answered, scratching the back of his head. "The others did more than I did, that's for sure."

"Yes, considering you spent ten minutes sleeping on my floor while they were out risking their lives for the sake of the town. But perhaps I am being too harsh; in the end, you delivered and helped push that beast back towards the volcano. For that, you have my gratitude, as well as the town's."

"I have just as much reason to thank you. If you hadn't given me that potion, I'd never have lasted out here. What was in that stuff?"

"It was an old remedy consisting of ground Kelbi horns, as well as a few other small –and extremely rare-things. It's the strongest potion you'll ever find, and also the hardest one to make," the woman explained. "I learned how to make it from a rather peculiar little deer…"

"Er… right. Well, if it was hard to find materials, I should at least pay you back for them-"

"Saving the town was good enough, child," she said, raising a hand and cutting him off. "Now, as for that lamp you broke in my house, I may desire some compensation for that."

Wes briefly recalled striking the table the woman's lamp had been set up on, remembering that it had fallen and broken on his head when he had crashed into her house. Though his face flushed a little, he still managed a nervous chuckle.

"I suppose that's fair… My family's never had a good run with lamps, if all the stories my Pa's told me are true. Still, I have to ask: why make a potion that strong for me? I mean, you don't even know who I am. And what did you mean by what you said earlier? That I had to learn my bounds before I could surpass them?"

"You remind me much of my late son, hunter," the woman sighed, looking up at him. "He was a foolhardy boy who got too far in over his head, and ended up paying the price for it. You have the same look in your eyes as he did, and I do not wish for another mother to go through the pain I have. As for what I said… those were the last words I ever spoke to my son. I had hoped he would listen to me for once in his life, but unfortunately he did not heed my warning. He got in over his head, believing himself to be invincible against anything the world could throw at him. Ironic, how when a man feels at his strongest, he is truly at his weakest… But enough about me. Your friends need you now, hunter."

Wes looked over at the others as they finished stocking up on supplies, slinging their item packs over their backs after pulling them closed. Kat waved to him excitedly, signaling that they were ready to head out in pursuit of Hades. Wes waved back, telling them to hold on for a second, before turning to the elderly woman.

"I never caught your name, miss."

"My name is Alexandria. Alexandria Piedra. And if I may ask yours, hunter?"

"Wes. Wes Adler."

"Hmm… A strong name, yet a kind one as well… It suits you," Alexandria stated, staring intently at the hunter as though she were sizing him up.

"I'd hope it would, but thanks for the compliment," Wes chuckled. "I'll repay you for the lamp once I get back with the others. I'll see if I can't find some rare ores or something while I'm on the mountain."

"Focus more on coming back alive than repaying an old fossil like me… But thank you for offering, hunter. Now then, go on and show that beast out of this life, you hear?"

"Will do, ma'am."

Wes waved as he walked away from the elderly woman, rejoining the others and beginning his trek through the western gate with them. Despite the damage Hades had caused, the townspeople still cheered for them as they passed by, shouting words of encouragement and prayers for their well-being. Wes thought he heard someone shout out a marriage proposal at him, but he quickly moved ahead and pretended not to hear anything. As they reached the gate, the hunters found Hugh awaiting them, his great sword stuck in the ground just outside the village. He let out a hearty laugh before approaching the group, pulling his sword free and resting it over his shoulder.

"So, you youngin's ready to head out now?"

"You know it, Uncle. Want us to try and bring you back a souvenir?"

"So long as you make it back in one piece, I think I'll be alright," the great sword user grinned, patting him on the shoulder roughly. "Don't need York and Rose coming after me for not being there to help you out, after all."

"Don't worry, I'll… We'll be safe," Wes replied, glancing back at the others quickly. "All of us will make it back, don't you worry."

"Well, I'm looking forward to seeing you lot crest that hill right there then!" Hugh laughed, pointing the tip of his sword at a large mound of earth between the volcano and the village. "Now get a move on, ya little whippersnappers. That beast isn't gonna hunt itself, y'know."

"Alright, we're moving then," Viper said, patting the blue- and green-eyed hunter on the shoulder before turning to face the great sword user. "And, for the record, you aren't that old, Muscles."

The group left the village then, waving at the townsfolk one last time before venturing off towards the hunting ground. Wes could see Alexandria standing at the gate, watching him sternly as they headed off.

* * *

Viper glanced up at the mountain looming above them, surveying the huge mound of earth for any openings the beast could have taken into its interior. It was easy to tell that the beast would have moved underground after reaching the mountain; the Volcanic hunting grounds were known for having a very complex cave network that only exposed itself to the sky in a few areas, and most of those caves were filled with lava and explosive rocks. They would need to be more careful once they entered the mountain.

The group had tracked Hades through the small forest at the edge of the hunting ground with relative ease, since the beast's size forced it to break down most of the trees in its path as it fled towards the volcano itself, and the number of wounds they had inflicted on it during their previous encounter had resulted in a rather distinct trail of blood for the hunters to follow. He and Wes had taken the lead in tracking the beast regardless, as there were a few points where they had almost lost its trail due to other large monsters having moved through the area in much the same way. Their combined ability made it much easier to get back on track, though.

"So, I see two paths we could take," Wes remarked, pushing himself up from the small pool of blood he had been examining. They were standing at the base of the volcano on a thin path made from hardened lava, which forked into two paths. There were a few sharp inclines that lead to the regular hunting grounds, as well as a jagged pass that led towards a separate area higher up the mountain that was usually considered off-limits to average hunters. "The regular hunting ground would make the most sense to follow, and it would be far easier to get there, but from the looks of it Hades decided to take the other path. See those tufts of fur on the ledges?"

"Huh, I could hardly tell those apart from the stone," Katrina noted, staring up in the direction the dual sword user pointed. Sure enough, there were some bloodied patches of grey and white fur caught on the sides of the obsidian slope, almost blending in perfectly with the dark mineral. "How'd you pick those out, Wes? That's kinda impressive!"

"Er… lucky catch, I guess."

Viper spared a curious glance sideways at the blonde-haired hunter. Even he wouldn't have seen something that subtle at first glance, and Viper had trained his eyes to look for even the smallest abnormalities in the terrain. Wes hadn't shown that sort of perception before; what was different now? The blue- and green-eyed man looked away abashedly as Katrina praised him somewhat flirtatiously, though Viper made note of the somewhat distant expression Wes had as he did so. His eyes seemed… unfocused, maybe? It was like he was concentrating on something else for a quick moment. Hardly a second later, though, the look was gone, and he had turned back towards the mountain.

"I won't exactly have an easy time making that climb," Harlin noted, glancing at the tall inclines uncertainly. "I can definitely do it, but my gear is pretty heavy compared to all of yours."

"You don't mean to say that you want to stay behind, do ya?" the archer smirked.

"No, but it might be easier for the rest of you to move ahead of me so I don't slow you down. The quicker we can find Hades, the sooner we can get the drop on it and finish this."

"We're sticking together, Harlin," Wes said, turning to face the switch axe user. "I can move ahead before you and secure a rope up there you could use to climb up quicker, but we really shouldn't split up at a time like this."

"Hmm… Good point. Thanks, Wes."

Viper raised an eyebrow at the hunter's suggestion. Wes usually was the one who helped make a path for the others to climb up after him- he was probably the best climber in the Corps, if nothing else- but saying they should stick together? Viper had expected Wes to say he would try to find Hades while the others catch up at the very least. It would've seemed normal if he'd run ahead already in pursuit of the beast, yet he'd been insisting on staying nearby the others and traveling in a team almost the entire way. While it seemed as though the dual blade user was trying a little too hard, Viper at least welcomed the idea of him not charging off into the fray on his own anymore. Of course, what mattered was if that attitude would remain when they finally confronted Hades…

"I'll give you a hand with tying the rope up there," the archer stated, walking after the dual blade wielder.

"Sure, I'd appreciate it," Wes replied, beginning to make the climb up towards the large opening in the side of the mountain. The opening was a solid fifty yards above ground level, and finding handholds in the obsidian was surprisingly difficult because of how smooth the rock was, but fortunately there were various steps that pair could rest on as they ascended towards the cave's mouth.

The hunter spoke up as they were nearing the halfway point of the climb. "Say, Viper, I have a question about your bow."

"Huh? What about it?"

"When we were back in town, I thought I saw a yellow flash around your hand when you were firing at Hades," Wes continued, helping the archer onto the next rock shelf. "I can't say I ever saw that before, but immediately after, you shot a bunch of arrows at it way faster than I've seen you do before. It was like… sorta like a bowgun's rapid fire, but you did it by hand."

"Ah, that. Well, while you were out, I got around to practicing a bit more, and one day I just utterly filled the target with arrows. Literally in a fifth of the time it normally takes, yeah? It's kinda hard to explain, but there are times where I just get this little 'click' and suddenly I turn into a living bowgun. It only lasts for about five shots, but man is it sweet to pull that off."

"Ever wonder how that is? You've always been great with a bow, but that's an entirely different level," the dual blade user pointed out as he grabbed hold of the last wall leading up towards the opening.

"Eh, I suppose I do think about it every so often," Viper replied, climbing up after the hooded hunter. "I think there's more to it than just pure talent or skill, but I don't really have any other explanation for it."

"Oh come on, you're talking like it's some kind of sorcery or something!"

"Damn, you caught me. I'm actually a wizard. I hide my wand in my quiver so no one can tell. But it's a secret to everybody, so don't tell anyone."

"…Seriously? If that was sarcasm, that was one of the straightest deliveries I've ever heard."

"Of course that was sarcasm, numbskull! There's no such thing as magic! And if there _was, _I'd just use it to conjure up some grub at every available opportunity. Or to carry more crap in my pouch… Barely have any space in this thing sometimes."

"I heard one of the researchers saying something about a new item pouch they were making. Supposedly it'll be half the size of a standard pouch, but have an entire third more space inside it."

"How the hell would that even work?"

"These are the same people that gave my uncle a suit of rocket armor, dude."

"Good point."

The pair hoisted themselves up onto the rock shelf in front of the opening at last; the entrance to the cave was dark and foreboding, though Viper could tell that wherever it led would most likely be very brightly lit. He had to cover his face from the intense heat exuding from within. Wes pulled a number of ropes out of his pack, and the two set about securing them together and tying them around a particularly thick rock that stuck out of the ground. Tossing the rope over the side of the ledge, Wes and Viper waited for Harlin and Kat to climb up the rope, helping the pair up as they neared the top, Harlin first, then Katrina.

"I'm telling you, I only suggested you go first out of courtesy, Kat," Harlin sighed, resting against the boulder opposite them as Wes helped the huntress onto the shelf. "I didn't realize… well, yeah."

"Suuuuure you didn't," the long sword user said, crossing her arms and leaning against a different stone pillar.

"Eh… did we miss something?" Wes asked, glancing between the pair curiously. Viper chuckled to himself at the dual blade user's remark; it was fairly obvious what happened, but Wes was really, really bad at picking up contextual clues. Maybe that was why he was so bad with women, the archer thought. After all, Kat had been subtly hitting on him almost the entire way to the mountain, and Wes had failed to respond in almost any way that would imply he understood it.

_Definitely gonna have to give him a few more pointers later._

"Nothing really, don't worry about it," the switch axe user said, removing his helmet and pulling a cool drink out. His dark skin was coated in sweat from both the heat of the volcano and the long climb he had just made, so the Ceadeus-armored man quickly downed the contents of the bottle, sighing in relief as the body-cooling juice took effect. "So, we got a plan for this, or what?"

"Aside from hit it until it dies? Not really," Viper replied. "I mean, it's probably really weak by now. If it's sleeping, we ought to finish it off before it wakes up. Wes, that sound like a plan you can pull off?" The archer asked that mostly to test the hunter; was he planning on trying to get the glory of the kill after all?

"…Me? Er… well, I could, but don't you think Kat or Harlin should do it instead? They have larger weapons after all; they'd do way more damage than I could in a single swipe. Unless… are you carrying explosives? You could plant those and set them off from a distance."

"I don't have any bombs, but if Hades is napping beside one of those explosive rocks, he'll be in for a rude awakening," Viper replied, mildly impressed by Wes' answer. Perhaps he really had changed after all. Still, it had taken him a moment to reply, and the archer could tell Wes had to argue a bit with himself to not immediately jump at the offer, so that still remained to be seen.

"I say we should find Hades first before coming up with a battle plan," Kat said, pushing off the pillar and standing beside Wes. "We don't have any idea where it is in this cave or what the area will look like, so it'd be best to scout it out before anything. Right, Wes?"

"Y-yeah, of course. So, should we move ahead then?"

"Better now than later," the switch axe user stated, getting to his feet and putting his helmet back on. The group nodded to each other in agreement before turning towards the mouth of the cave. After the rest of them downed cool drinks to help against the heat of the volcano, the four descended into the dark cave, beginning their trek deep into the mountain. Viper kept his gaze on the back of Wes' head as they moved along.

_So far, so good, bud. But let's see if you can walk the walk._

* * *

As they continued into the volcano's interior, Wes found himself needing to pull his hood up to help shield against the heat within the caves. Normally, Barioth pelts would be a terrible choice for warm climates, but his father had treated the material in such a way that it was able to resist both heat and cold fairly well, keeping most of his body fairly temperate. He'd wanted to keep the hood down for a while to keep a better eye on his surroundings, but their being in a single path cave combined with the excessive heat had eventually made it into a necessity.

_I always hated extreme heat…_

_Says the guy who currently lives in the middle of the desert._

_Why do you think I try to stay in the shade or indoors all the time?!_

_Because you're antisocial?_

_That's… only partially true!_

Thinking back, Wes did find himself missing the more temperate island of Moga. Sure, it got pretty hot some days, but the cool ocean breeze always kept things feeling just right for him. Admittedly, he was fairly homesick for once. It had been almost a year and a half since he'd been there last. He'd have to see when he could get a chance to go back sometime; with all the issues he still had to deal with in the Corps itself, he wasn't sure how soon that would be.

On that note, his mind returned to the job at hand. He and the others had essentially cornered Hades by this point. Occasionally the hunter could hear the small splash of a boot stepping in a pool of the Zinogre's blood echoing throughout the large tunnel, meaning they were not only on the right track, but that the fanged beast had lost a substantial amount of blood as well. He would… No, _they _would be able to bring it down once and for all. He knew they would. The rest of the team was extremely capable, and they were all in the best condition they could be after the last fight. No matter how much of a struggle Hades put up, Wes and the others would put it down.

At least, that was what he told himself. In truth, Wes was more anxious than he'd ever been. After seeing Hades in action again after so long, he remembered fully just how destructively powerful the wyvern was. It would have completely flattened the town if they hadn't shown up! And it took almost everything they had just to repel the beast too; even with all the wounds they had inflicted on it, Wes knew Hades wouldn't be likely to just roll over and give up. No, if Hades was still alive, it would fight until the last breath, and it wouldn't afford them any mercy.

"Hey, I think I see something up ahead!" Kat said, pointing down the tunnel. Wes followed the Kirin-armored huntress' gesture towards a small orange dot in the distance. "It must be the exit!"

"Yeah, but let's keep our voices down, Bubbles," Viper replied. "Don't need to give it a heads up with a shout out."

The others nodded silently and made their way towards the growing light in the distance as quickly and quietly as they could. Harlin trailed slightly behind on account of his bulky gear, but Wes made sure to hang back behind Viper and Kat to ensure they didn't get separated in the event of an attack or cave in, unlikely as they were to happen at this moment. After a few hundred yards, the hunters moved to opposite ends of the opening, Kat and Wes on the left, Harlin and Viper on the right. From his cover, Wes peered into the area, gasping at what he saw within.

_What in the world…?_

_This looks kinda familiar, doesn't it? Talk about situational irony…_

The cave opened up to a large, circular platform made up of a light-colored stone, though it seemed to glow a dull orange from the light of the lava far below reflecting off the obsidian walls. The entire platform was hundreds of yards in length, with a large opening in the center of it all. It looked exactly like the top of the tower from the Misty Peaks! But that structure was a mile tall! How could a similar structure, if it was the same make and size, be built _inside _the volcano? That shouldn't even be possible!

Despite the shock value the sight had on him, Wes turned his attention towards locating Hades. The blood trail led across the platform to a sizable pool of the crimson liquid towards the center of the structure, though the dual blade wielder raised an eyebrow at the apparent lack of a body. The trail just… ended.

"Something isn't right here…" he murmured, glancing across the platform for the beast. "Viper, you see anything on your side?"

"Nothing but blood and fur," the archer whispered back, keeping a hand on his bow. "It has to be here; it couldn't have gone anywhere without leaving another trail."

"He's right; there aren't even footprints," Kat stated quietly, looking over Wes' shoulder at the platform. "But… where could it have gone?"

"Best chance to find out is to head in," Harlin replied. "I'll go first. Wes, Kat, back me up."

The hunters nodded as the Ceadeus-clad man cautiously shifted from his place beside Viper and entered the massive chamber, waiting a few moments before following after him. Viper followed behind them, keeping a hand hovering above his quiver. Wes found himself feeling extremely on edge, keeping a hand on one of his scimitars, ready to draw it at a moment's notice as he glaned around furtively for any sign of the fanged wyvern. Kat similarly kept a grip on her long sword, and Harlin had already drawn his switch axe. The chamber was oddly quiet; the most they could hear was a low bubbling of lava throughout the chamber and the rumbling of the mountain through the thick stone walls. They could see clearly, yet it was obvious that the Zinogre wasn't there.

"What the hell… It's like it dropped off the face of the planet!" Harlin grumbled, looking from side to side quickly. He let out a frustrated sigh, planting the head of his axe into the floor and turning to face the others. "There's nothing here!"

"Let's not jump to any conclusions just yet, big guy," Viper said. "There's still the inside of this thing itself. I've seen this before; there's probably more than enough space inside this tower to fit a dozen giant monsters."

The archer's suggestion was quickly disproven when the group approached the large opening in the center of the structure, though. After partially descending the spiraling ramp leading inside the tower, they discovered that unlike the previous structure which had several winding paths and numerous levels, this one was almost completely filled with lava, leaving only the top two levels uncovered and the third highest half-submerged. There wasn't any sign of the beast on the outer walls either, though Wes did note a small entrance on the highest level that led into what looked to be a smaller pathway. Still, it was nowhere near the size it would have to be for Hades to fit through.

"Maybe it fell in the lava and sank to the bottom…?" Kat suggested. "I really don't see any other explanations for this…"

"And there weren't any other paths it could have taken," Wes sighed, placing his hands on his hips and looking around at the rest of the chamber.

_You got any ideas, Silver?_

_Wait wait wait, you're coming to me for once? Damn, that's a first. Let me get some party favors first._

_Silver, no snarking! This is a serious situation!_

_Yeah, which makes my snark stand out starkly! Starnarkly? Snartarkly? ….Eh, whatever._

_Do you have any suggestions or not?_

_Unless it learned how to fly, no. Wait! I got something! Maybe, and hear me out here, maybe the Devil himself came and adopted Hades!_

_Stop._

_Like, he opens the ground, whips a leash around its neck, and pulls it straight to the Underworld! That'd be awesome!_

_Silver, what the hell is the matter with you? You're acting weirder than usual. …And that's really saying something._

_Something about this place is really throwing me for a loop, you could say. Like there's a big change in the air, catch my drift?_

_No, no I don't._

Wes slowly turned his gaze towards the ceiling turning his body around as he inspected the roof of the cave. As crazy and unlikely as it was, the only logical explanation for how Hades could have disappeared like that would be if it had gone straight up. The dual blade wielder furrowed his brow at the sight of a few rocky outcroppings along the upper walls of the cavern. They were pretty high up, but with Hades' size and strength a jump like that would've been easy. Still, the outcroppings themselves were too small for a beast that size to rest on…

A small shift of movement on the outcropping above the entrance to the chamber grabbed his attention, though. The hunter immediately shifted his gaze onto the platform, narrowing his eyes at what he saw.

It looked like a… person? From this distance he couldn't make out many defining features, but he could tell it was definitely a human. The figure was currently lounging on his side, his head propped up on one of his arms as if he were an emperor relaxing on his throne. He didn't seem to be wearing much aside from a thick grey pelt around his waist, as well as white and grey plated leggings. A pair of thick bone bracers covered his arms too, and Wes thought he could make out a short bone sword hung on the back of his belt.

"So, you finally found me after all!" the figure laughed, pushing himself up so that he was sitting cross legged. The hunters all turned in the direction of the man with confused expressions while he simply let out a long chuckle, his gruff and deep voice resounding throughout the chamber. "Gotta say, it was awwwwfully fun watching the four of you stumbling around like blind fools!"

"…Who the hell is this guy?" Wes asked flatly, staring questioningly at the man above them. He was talking like they were already acquainted, if he could call it that; at the very least, he seemed to know them. Glancing at his teammates' expressions, though, Wes could tell that they had never seen this man before in their lives.

"I think a better question would be _what_ the hell is up with this guy," Viper mumbled. "Was he at the village too?"

"I would have been able to tell if I had seen him before," Katrina replied. "Whoever he is, he was not one of the villagers. Maybe he's a hunter?"

"What kind of a hunter would walk into a volcano without cool drinks or supplies?" Harlin questioned. "He'd be dead in a minute, tops. He doesn't even have a shirt on for crying out loud!"

"I can hear you all quite clearly, you know." The hunters watched as the man pushed himself up to his feet, his devilish grin visible even at that distance. Wes glanced back at the others before taking a few steps forwards, approaching the area beneath the ledge the strange man was standing upon. As he neared, Wes could make out that he had a full head of medium length grey hair that hung low over his eyes and ears, as well as an incredibly muscular build. He was covered in scars as well, though from what, Wes couldn't really tell. A grey gemstone hung from the man's neck, which Wes identified as a Stygian Skymerald after a moment's inspection. "Well well, you got something to say, pretty boy?"

"For one, who are you, and two, what in the world are you doing up there?"

"Hah, you hunters have to be some of the densest creatures on the planet! Seriously, is it that difficult for you to figure out? You've met me the most out of everyone here, after all!"

"What…? You aren't making any sense at all!"

"Wes, I think this guy has a few screws loose," Viper said, having followed after the dual blade wielder along with the others. "Best we just leave him and look somewhere else. Hades isn't here."

Another laugh from the man drew their attention back up to the man as he leaned over the ledge, one foot forward.

"Ah, I get it! Alright, I'll play along; clearly the four of you hunters are here for something. Ask me what it is you're looking for, and I'll point you in the right direction."

Though he extremely wary of the man, Wes spoke up after a moment of hesitation. "We're hunting a large Stygian Zinogre called Hades. If you saw it, you'd know it. Any idea where it is?"

"Ah, Hades! Now that is a nice name," the gray-haired man chuckled, shaking his head out of amusement. "Yeah, I can tell you where that beast went. And lemme tell you something; he's a lot closer than you realize…"

The hunters watched as the man took a step back from the ledge, lifting his foot into the air. With a short grunt, the man drove his foot into the floor, causing the entire ledge he stood upon to shake wildly. Small bits of stone broke off the sides before the entire ledge collapsed in a loud rumble, sending an avalanche of stone down over the entrance to the cavern, cutting it off completely. Wes and the other backed off immediately, covering their faces with their arms as a cloud of dust blew past them.

"What in the name of the gods was that?!" Viper shouted, lowering his arm quickly and staring at the pile of rubble before them. Wes was completely dumbstruck; how had this guy managed to collapse an entire section of the wall with one stomp? And, perhaps more importantly, _why?_

_Wes, I'm pretty sure I don't need to say this, but you better keep an eye on this one. …Maybe even two._

_NO KIDDING!_

As the dust began to settle, Wes could make out the man's figure standing on top of the pile of broken rocks, casually stepping down from the wreckage with slow, sauntering steps, glaring at the hunters intently the entire while. Wes stared back nervously, as did the others. None of them were sure what to make of this situation, but something was incredibly off about this man, that was plain enough.

"So, I take it that was proof enough?" the man grinned, stepping off the last rock onto the same level as the hunters. Wes gasped a little; he hadn't realized before, but this man was positively massive! He must've been almost as tall as Frost, if not even more so! "Haah… I'll take it from the weird looks that you still don't know. Very well, this should make it easy for you."

The grey haired man raised his arm towards the hunters, all of whom tensed up apprehensively. There was a low buzzing sound that filled the air then, and Wes spared a quick glance upwards, noting a small swarm of tiny red bugs in the air above them. Weren't those… dracophage bugs? There were small bolts of red lightning zapping the air between them, and the humming began to grow even louder than before until it was a loud drone, forcing the hunters to cover their ears from the intense pressure of the noise.

A moment later, there was a bright flash of red, and a bolt of red lightning shot down on the group from above. The hunters immediately dove in any direction away from the bolt, though the shockwave it caused on impact with the floor sent them flying much farther than they had intended. Wes let out a grunt as he landed on his side, quickly rolling over onto his feet and sliding to a stop. He'd been lucky to avoid the full brunt of the attack; his armor was extremely vulnerable to dragon element, and its effects could leave him down for the count if he wasn't careful. He saw Viper come to a stop not far from where he had landed, and the archer shook his head out of shock at what had just happened.

_Wes, watch your back!_

Wes turned sharply, hearing the sound of footsteps behind him. His eyes widened in surprise as the grey-haired man was upon him, an elbow aimed directly for his gut.

"Call me Hades!" he roared, slamming into the dual blade user full force. Wes could only let out a surprised yelp as the impact knocked him almost fifty feet back across the platform, slamming hard onto his back as he collided with the floor and flipped over onto his stomach. The blow had left him feeling incredibly dazed and lightheaded, like he'd just been run over by a charging wyvern.

"Wes?! What the hell was- gah!" Viper hissed, narrowly hopping back in time to avoid a follow up strike from the grey-haired man. Despite this, the man was able to strike the archer in the gut with a powerful kick, sending him sliding across the floor next to the spot where Wes lay coughing and gasping for air. "Sh… shit… What the hell is this guy…?!"

Kat and Harlin quickly rejoined with the two, having drawn their weapons and leveled them at the grey-haired man threateningly. The man simply glanced between the two, a wicked grin splitting his lips. Glancing up at the man, Wes could tell that this man's canines were probably the sharpest looking he had ever seen. He practically looked… half-beast.

The dual blade wielder and the archer slowly pushed themselves back up to their feet, wincing a little in pain. This man was incredibly strong, that was for certain. Viper immediately went for his bow, flipping the weapon open and pulling an arrow free from his quiver. Wes spared a glance at the handles of his dual blades, uncertain as to whether he should draw them or not.

_Wes, this guy just tried to throw you across the platform into a pit of lava. I'm pretty sure that's grounds for self-defense._

_But…! He's a human, right?! I can't pull a sword on a man, even if he did just try to kill me! That's just wrong!_

_Gods dammit Wes, does this guy look remotely normal to you?! He collapsed an entire section of a wall, threw a lightning bolt at you, and threw you farther than most people trust you! I've got the feeling that we've found our monster… And he's definitely a beast._

Staring at the man, Wes could begin to see several similarities between him and Hades, like a hybrid of some kind. The color of his hair matched the grey color of the beast's fur, for one, and the bone gauntlets he wore vaguely resembled the fanged wyvern's foreleg claws. His fur sash appeared to be made up of Stygian Zinogre pelts as well, and the blade hung across his waist was made from Stygian Zinogre materials. That, and the fact that this man seemed to possess control over a swarm of dracophage bugs really pushed one idea into Wes' head. Though it defied all logic, this man had to be Hades.

And Hades was a monster.

The dual blade user immediately reached back and whipped the blades free from the loops holding them to his back, brandishing the sharp scimitars in front of him as the wyvern-man's grin grew wider.

"Ah, so this one gets it after all…" he chuckled, cracking his knuckles as a number of dracophage bugs flew down beside him, transforming into four orbs or reddish energy. "So, shall we continue from where we left off?!"

"I don't know what the hell is up with this guy, but he is way too dangerous to ignore," Harlin grimaced, tightening his grip on his switch axe. "I say we bring him down."

"No man can cause lightning bolts to appear, that's for sure," Kat replied, letting out a low breath. "At least, not one I've ever seen… Just what is he?"

"A crazed lunatic who just tried to kill us, that's what," the archer hissed, nocking an arrow to his bow. "Well, time to return the favor then!"

Hades laughed once more at them, causing the bugs beside him to suddenly flare up in size.

"That's what I like to hear! You might be hunters, but you'd better be ready to become _the hunted _instead!_"_

With a ferocious howl, the man charged at the four, closing the distance between in almost no time at all. Harlin attempted to ram the head of his axe into Hades' chest as he neared, but the grey-haired man was able to dodge the swing effortlessly, stepping to the side and grabbing hold of the weapon's shaft. The Ceadeus-clad hunter let out a surprised gasp as Hades pulled him off his feet by his axe, swinging him around in a full circle before tossing the hunter back across the chamber.

The others were forced to back up to avoid being struck by their comrade's body, though Viper was the first to retaliate, launching an arrow aimed at the man's chest. The projectile only found empty air, though, as Hades ducked past the arrow and rushed towards the green-armored hunter. Viper let out a surprised grunt as Hades lunged at him, though Wes and Kat quickly cut the hybrid's charge off, slashing their blades at his torso.

Even their sudden attack didn't catch the man off guard; Hades quickly raised both of his arms, catching both Kat's long sword and Wes' scimitar in the ridges of his gauntlets. He let out a short laugh before throwing his arms out, staggering both of the hunters easily. He lunged at Wes first, throwing a wide punch at his head. The hunter ducked below the attempt and thrust his other sword at the gray-haired man's abdomen as he rose, though Hades' reaction speed was faster than he had thought, batting his blade aside with an open palm and ramming the dual sword user back with a low-angled shoulder charge, knocking him flat on his back a few feet away.

Fortunately, Kat had recovered swiftly enough to strike out at Hades before he could pursue the downed hunter, slashing her long sword down at his neck from behind. The grey-haired man quickly snapped his arm up, though, catching her blade in his grasp and stopping it dead. Though the edge had managed to sink into the Hybrid's hand a little and draw a small amount of blood, the man held fast even when Kat tried to pry her sword free, tightening his grasp on the tempered metal. With a feral roar, the man fully clenched his fist, shattering the huntress' blade at the middle and sending a rain of metal shards to the floor. Kat yelped and leapt back as Hades swung the upper half of her sword at her, ducking beneath the jagged piece of metal as the hybrid threw it at her head.

"Aw man, not again…" the huntress moaned, glancing at the ruined blade in her grasp before turning her attention back up at the hybrid. Hades had begun to charge towards her again, and the huntress braced herself for the oncoming strike, but a blur of movement to the side caught the grey-haired man's attention just before it pierced his shoulder, making the man grunt in pain as the metal tip of the projectile pierced his flesh.

"Kat, move back!" Viper shouted, drawing another arrow and firing it at the Hybrid. The huntress quickly backpedalled towards the archer while he shot past her, trying to strike their assailant. The man remained just as quick as ever, though, flipping out of the way of Viper's next shot and dodging and weaving past the oncoming projectiles skillfully as he closed the gap between himself and the hunters. As he neared the pair, he pulled the arrow from his shoulder, lunging at the pair with the intent to strike them with the long-bladed tip of the arrow.

"Not so fast!"

A large white shape crashed into the hybrid before he could attack the pair, tackling him out of the way with a startled grunt. Harlin had returned to the fray, though oddly his switch axe was missing, forcing him to draw his carving knife to use instead. Having pinned Hades beneath him, the Ceadeus-clad hunter attempted ram the thick-bladed knife into the hybrid's chest, though Hades quickly stopped the attack by grabbing the man's wrist mid-swing.

"It won't be that easy!" Hades roared, pushing off against the man with enough force to not only free himself from beneath the heavy armored hunter, but to also shift into a position where he could lift Harlin off the ground and grasp his throat tightly. "Try again, weakling!"

Harlin yelped in surprise as Hades tossed him away effortlessly, almost striking Viper as the archer moved to find a better angle. By then, Wes had recovered from Hades' last attack, coughing once as he returned to his feet. Each hit felt like it had struck him much harder than ever before, leaving him on the edge of consciousness after only two hits.

_Gah… What the hell is wrong with my body?! First the cannon ball, and now this? Why am I this weak?!_

_You haven't fully recovered from the coma yet, jackass! You thought it was as easy as drinking some magic muscle juice and working out for a week?! There's no way you can take as much punishment as before!_

_Why didn't you say anything then?! _

_I shouldn't have needed to! It's your body, not mine! Plus, I didn't exactly expect our super-powered target to turn into a super-powered lunatic! There's no- watch out, to the left!_

Wes quickly threw himself out of the way, just barely avoiding a large red orb of dragon element as it shot past. Rolling to his feet, the hunter was forced to duck beneath a second orb and break into a sprint to avoid another two before slashing the fifth with his left handed sword, splitting the small insect within clean in half. A small zap of dragon element briefly ran down the length of his sword, though it was stopped at the handguard.

"Almost forgot about the little buggers," the dual blade wielder muttered, turning his attention back towards the others.

Viper had tossed a large bone dagger to Kat for her to use in place of her shattered long sword, and had likewise engaged the hybrid in close quarters with his wrist blade and another dagger. The fight wasn't going well for either of them, however; Hades was just too strong and fast to keep up with, and was readily pummeling them the second they dropped their guard. The hunter quickly sheathed his swords and charged at the man, sprinting quickly and quietly at him from behind before leaping into the air, his own wrist blade extending from his brace as he flexed his hand back. He was aiming for the back of Hades' neck, a wound that would certainly put the man down for good.

The moment before he struck, though, the grey-haired man twisted his body to the side in an attempt to strike Kat with a backhanded swing. Wes slammed into the man's back, burying his wrist blade into the hybrid's upper back rather than his neck, though still earning a pained howl from Hades. The hunter quickly threw his other arm around the man's neck, trying to tighten his grip on the hybrid's throat while simultaneously stabbing into his back with his wrist blade. Hades whipped his head back angrily in an attempt to throw the hunter off, though Wes' head was too far to the side to strike, forcing the man to twist and turn in an effort to throw the dual blade wielder off instead.

Right before Wes managed to stab the hybrid again, though, Hades suddenly back flipped several feet backwards, throwing the surprised hunter off of his back and onto the floor below, winding him badly. Wes forced his eyes open at Silver's urging, just in time to twist his neck to the side and avoid Hades' foot slamming into the floor next to his head. The hunter dodged another attempt by twisting in the opposite direction, and a third by rolling away and getting back to his feet, drawing his scimitars as he did so.

"Is that the best you got?" Wes taunted, resting one of his swords on his shoulder while beckoning the man to try and attack him with the other. "Come on, I fought tougher opponents when I was in a coma."

_Wes, what the actual hell are you doing?!_

_Getting him away from the others! They can regroup and attack while I keep him busy!_

_You actually think you can match him in one on one combat like this?! YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY INSANE!_

_THANKS FOR THE REMINDER! Now get ready to do your damn job!_

Wes prepared himself as the hybrid charged towards him, laughing and drawing his own heavy-bladed short sword. It was only a second before the man was upon him, leaping into the air high above with his sword above his head before falling towards the dual blade wielder quickly.

_Sidestep, left side!_

The hunter responded immediately, shifting his body over just as Hades' blade split the air he had occupied. He immediately lashed out with his right hand sword, slashing Hades' upper chest and shoulder as the grey-haired man rose to his feet. He grunted in pain as the steel bit into his flesh, sinking in shallowly but sending a short spray of blood into the air.

_Incoming uppercut, back up!_

Wes hopped back a foot a split second before Hades' gauntleted fist sailed through the air in front of him, just barely missing the hunter's chin by an inch. Landing with a strong stance, Wes pushed off with his back leg and let out a fierce shout as he lunged at the hybrid's side, intending the run him through. The attack barely missed, as Hades was able to pull himself aside just in time, though Wes' scimitar still managed to slice a thin trail along the grey-haired man's abdomen as he moved away. The hunter spun himself around and attempted to slash the man with his other sword, though Hades blocked the attack with the back of his gauntlet.

_He's probably going for a kick! Watch below!_

Though Wes quickly twisted himself to the side and managed to avoid the Hybrid's attempt to drive his foot into the dual blade user's stomach, he hadn't expected a large surge of dragon element to erupt from Hades' gauntlet, the reddish bolts shooting through Wes' sword and into his arm, knocking him back with an agonized groan. His entire arm felt completely numb and unresponsive, though a second later it was back to normal. Hardly a few moments later, though, it tensed up once more and resisted control. Somehow he maintained a grip on his sword, awkward though it was.

_Shit…!_

_Wes, you need to pull back now and deal with that! Use the Nulberry juice you picked up in town! Dragonblight is not something you want to fight under the effects of! Remember the town guard!_

_Not much of a choice at the moment!_

Wes grimaced as Hades lunged at him once more, raising his good arm in preparation for a parry. The moment their blades connected, Wes realized it would've been smarter to evade, though his current kneeling position made doing so difficult. The hybrid was far stronger than he was already, and the strike was more than enough to send Wes skidding across the floor of the tower for several yards, barely holding his guard.

"Don't try me, pretty boy," Hades growled, snarling viciously at the hunter as he began to make his way towards the dual sword user. His body seemed to be glowing with a slightly red aura, not unlike that of Demon Mode. Still, Wes could tell that it wasn't the same; it was dragon element being channeled into the man's body! The dracophage bugs had been latching onto the hybrid whenever they could, letting him absorb their energy while he fought against the hunters. "Else I might have to really bare my fangs…"

"I've seen sharper tips in a hunk of thorny meat. What's your point?"

"Hah, now you're just asking for it!" Hades roared, grinning viciously and making as if to charge the hunter. Right before he did, though, a silvery object hurtled through the air and slammed into his arm, slicing a deep line into the limb before the object- the hilt of Kat's long sword- clattered to the ground below. Turning in the direction of the huntress, the hybrid let out a pained shout as one of Viper's arrows stuck into his back, penetrating deeply enough into his shoulder that the tip of the projectile broke through the skin on the other side of his body. He quickly turned his gaze back towards the archer, glaring at the black-haired man maliciously. "Do you really think a tiny wound like that will slow me down?"

"No, but whoever said _I _was trying to do damage?" Viper smirked, having nocked another arrow onto his bow as the Hybrid turned to face him. Hades gave the archer a somewhat confused look, but a moment later he discovered what the yellow-eyed man meant.

"Surprise, mother fucker!" Harlin roared, bringing his switch axe around and swinging the huge blade at the hybrid's back. Wes noted that the top of the blade looked as though it had been damaged by lava, being melted and charred along the top section of the axe head; that being said, the weapon practically glowed red-hot along its edge, and while Hades managed to turn around in time to block with his arm guards, the strike was powerful enough to knock him off his feet and send him sliding across the platform, one of the gauntlets having a large crack split into it from the impact.

"Hard to pay attention when you're so pissed off at me, isn't it?!" Wes grinned, pushing himself up as the others began to regroup.

Fortunately, the shock of dragon element had left his arm rather quickly, having been mostly weakened by traveling through the hunter's sword, so he had regained full motion of his arm. However, he knew he still had to be cautious, as Hades had proven just how incredibly strong he was numerous times now. The others we almost as beat up as Wes was; several scales had been broken off of Viper's arm guard, and there was a thin tear through the mesh covering of his Green Nargacuga mail; Harlin's armor had several dents and scuffs in it, and there was a large split in the right pauldron, as well as his axe being partially melted; Katrina had several bruises where her Kirin armor didn't protect, and the armor itself was dirtied and scuffed, though she had managed to avoid much more injuries than those since her sword had broken.

The dual sword user quickly shifted his gaze back towards Hades as the hybrid pushed himself up, growling at the hunters. He was bleeding from several places now, yet he didn't seem to be worn down as much as a person should be by the amount of wounds he had sustained. Glaring menacingly at the four, Hades' mouth once more split into a wicked grin, his sharp canines glistening in the dull orange light of the volcano's interior.

"Now _this _is a fight!" he laughed, throwing his head back as his voice echoed throughout the chamber once more. "This is exactly what I was hoping for from the lot of you! A worthy attempt at defeating me, only to be met with complete failure in the end!"

"Failure? I'm not so sure you can tell who's winning here!" Viper replied, training his bow on the man. "There's four of us and only one of you! Not only that, but you're way more injured than any of us!"

"Perhaps, but I'm not like you, hunter," the Hybrid grinned as more bolts of red lightning began to form around him, leaving dark splotches on the ground before striking the floor. It barely took Wes a second to realize what Hades was attempting to do, and while he wasn't quite sure if the grey-haired man had that potential, he did _not _want to find out.

"Viper, shoot him!"

The archer loosed an arrow at the man as Hades knelt down, an intense pressure filling the air around them. Before the projectile could meet its mark, a bolt of dragon lightning fell from above, knocking the projectile off course completely.

"Dammit, I can't shoot through a storm like that! What's he up to- Wes, what the hell are you doing?!"

The blue- and green-eyed hunter immediately broke into a sprint towards the man. Wes forced himself to run despite the pressure and the surprised shouts from his friends, knowing that they would all be in danger if Hades was left to his devices. Viper wouldn't be able to strike the man, and he was the only who could make it through that maelstrom of dragon element to attack Hades. If he didn't make it in time, they could all be done for.

As he neared the grey-haired man, Wes weaved between bolts of lightning from above and dodged around incoming dracophage bugs at Silver's warnings. Making it past the storm of red bolts and bugs, Wes lunged towards the man, drawing both of his swords as he aimed for Hades' neck. He was almost upon the man now: I just another second, it would be ov-

A loud howl erupted from Hades' lungs as he craned his neck back and stood up, a huge blast of dragon element surging out of his body in a massive shockwave. Wes let out a pained shout as the blast struck him full force, the dragon element tearing straight past his armor and directly into his body. The hunter was sent flying back towards, slamming down hard onto his back and sliding to a stop just in front of the party while they rushed forwards.

"D… damn…" he groaned, bolts of reddish lightning dancing across his body as the dragon element took effect, immobilizing him and leaving his limbs as unresponsive paperweights. His entire body, inside and out, seemed to burn from the effects of the element, and he found it hard to even catch his breath. He could even see smoke rising off of some parts of his gear, though he couldn't tell what the condition of his armor was now. He still forced his head up to look towards Hades, though what he saw shocked him to his very core.

The man was cloaked in a deep crimson aura, which tendrils of dragon element seemed to flash within every so often. Each step he took seemed heavy and dense, as though he was heavier and stronger than ever before. A deep burgundy spike had extended from within his sword, which now crackled with red bolts of thunder. His hair had stood up straight on end as well, and a noticeably red lock of hair was visible above Hades' left eye. The gemstone around his neck seemed to be exuding a faint glow as well, as though it were resonating with the energy surrounding him. Most horrendously, though, were the glowing red veins that had appeared across the man's torso, arms, and face. It looked as though cracks of dragon element had begun to split through his skin from the overwhelming power he possessed.

"What did I say?!" Hades snarled, the widest grin he'd ever worn splitting his face. "Don't try me, pretty boy! You _never _mess with a monarch's power! And now… I'll show the whole lot of you what hell _is really like!"_

"Kat, get Wes to a safe spot and get rid of that dragonblight!" Viper shouted, drawing his bow as far back as he could. "Harlin, we gotta cover her!"

"Got it!" the switch axe user responded, leveling his weapon at the hybrid as he began to slowly saunter towards the group. Kat quickly wrapped her arms around Wes' torso and began pulling him away from the fight, grabbing his dual blades from where they had fallen beside him as well.

"W-won't the blight t-transfer to y-you…?" Wes stuttered, his voice barely working as the draconic lightning continued to impede his ability to move.

"Don't worry, Kirin materials are 100% resistant to all blights, even dragon," the huntress replied quickly, laying him down once they were a fair distance away. He noted that any small zaps of the lightning seemed to be stopped by an invisible barrier, even in the parts where her armor didn't cover. "Hang on, this Nulberry extract that should do the trick…"

The huntress quickly pulled a small blue bottle out of her pouch, feeding the contents of the potion to the incapacitated hunter. It was quite sweet, much better than the potion Alexandria had given him before, and he could feel the effects of the Nulberry juice almost immediately. The dragonblight almost instantaneously disappeared from his body, and the hunter sat up quickly, feeling much better now than before.

"Thanks, Kat. I owe you for that one," the hunter said, sheathing his dual blades on his back as Kat rose to her feet.

"You can repay me after we get out of this mess," the long sword user replied, helping him up with a wide smirk. A pained shout from across the platform immediately drew their attention, though. Wes barely ducked to the side as Harlin crashed into the ground next to him, cursing loudly as the impact split the crack in his chest plate and pauldron more. His axe was a mangled mess of materials at this point; one of the blades was missing completely, and the other was almost completely broken in half.

"Damn! Kat, give him a hand!" Wes shouted, glancing back towards the fight. His eyes widened when he saw Hades grab hold of Viper's throat, lighting the archer into the air with one arm as several more shocks of dragon element began to strike the yellow-eyed man.

Seeing his friend in such a dire situation practically drove Wes over the edge: just as it had all those months before at the tower in the Misty Peaks, a powerful white aura flared to life around him, invigorating him and filling the dual sword user with strength. The aura seemed less vibrant than it had then, and it flickered slightly with a silvery-grey tone, though it was back to normal a moment later. With a loud battle cry, the hunter launched himself at the hybrid with his aura-enhanced speed, crashing into the grey-haired man's side with enough force to topple him and release Viper from his grasp.

"Gah! What the-?!" Hades grunted in pain as Wes slammed him into the floor and drove his fist into the man's face, striking him harder than he was ever capable of doing previously. Wes was able to land two more strikes before the hybrid threw him off. The hunter twisted over in midair, drawing both of his swords before landing on his feet dexterously. Hades glared at him half out of shock, and half out of fury. "What kind of power is that?!"

"Hell if I know, and hell if I care!" Wes replied, matching Hades' glare with a deadly look of his own. "You will not lay another hand on them, even if I have to cut your arm off to keep you from doing it! Monster, man, or anything in between, I won't let you harm them anymore! So get ready, Hades, because this is your last dance!"

"Hah! Looks like there's a bit more to you than I thought, pretty boy! Come on then, show me what you got!"

The hunter launched himself towards the grey-haired man with incredible speed, catching Hades completely by surprise with his newfound agility. It only took a split second for him to close the distance and strike out at the hybrid, slashing both of his swords at Hades' torso. The red-eyed man was able to block both swings, but grunted in surprise at the sudden change in Wes' strength, being pushed back a few feet.

Wes darted forwards again and leapt into the air, spinning around and driving his foot towards his opponent's torso. Hades sidestepped the kick and swung at Wes as the hunter passed by, though Wes was able to duck beneath the attack just as he landed, thanks to another warning from Silver. The hunter retaliated by throwing a punch into Hades' stomach, slamming the metallic handguard of his scimitar into his gut.

The blow wasn't enough to knock Hades back this time, though, and the beast man retaliated by driving his foot into Wes' chest, knocking him into the air with ease. The hunter righted himself quickly, but was caught off guard as Hades leapt into the air after him, snarling as he slashed at the blue- and green-eyed hunter's midsection. Wes brought both of his swords up quickly enough to block, but even with his aura, Hades still proved to be strong enough to launch the hunter back into the floor with a pained grunt.

Wes rolled backwards quickly as Hades followed after him, thrusting his sword into the floor the hunter had occupied a moment ago. The second he was on his feet, Wes rushed the beast man again, slashing at him numerous times with both of his swords. Hades successfully blocked most of his swings, though, somehow managing to react quickly enough to each one, aside from a few glancing cuts Wes barely managed to land. After a furious exchange between them, Hades locked blades with the hunter, red lightning beginning to crackle around him.

"I don't care what tricks you try to pull, pretty boy! Throw all you have at me, and I'll still toss your lifeless corpse into the volcano! Just try to keep things interesting for me!"

Wes grunted in surprise as Hades pushed him back several feet with another surge of dragon element, though this one wasn't able to inflict the hunter with dragonblight. The sudden surge did throw one of Wes' swords from his grasp, leaving him with a single blade to fight with. Hades howled viciously as he lashed out at the hunter, furiously swinging his blade at the hunter over and over again. Wes managed to block or dodge each swing, their blades seeming like nothing but fast blurs of motion, but he still found himself being driven back towards the center of the platform where the opening was. Despite his efforts to fight back, Wes was steadily being forced onto the defensive by the hybrid's onslaught.

Eventually, Wes found himself with his heels at the edge of the platform, and he stumbled in an attempt to keep from falling into the lava far below, leaving Hades the perfect opportunity to knock the scimitar out of his hand, sending the curved sword plummeting into the heated magma below. Wes attempted to dart past the hybrid and retrieve his other sword, but Hades quickly swung his arm out, catching hold of the hunter's neck and lifting him over the ledge. The dual sword user coughed and sputtered at the inability to draw breath, grabbing hold of Hades' wrist with both hands in an attempt to free himself from the hybrid's grasp.

"You see now how weak and pitiful you humans are?! Without your tools and your tricks, you are nothing but prey! No matter how hard you fight, you will never become the real masters of this world! Only the strong thrive here, and you insignificant maggots have no place among us here! Any last words before I pitch you into the fires of hell, pretty boy?!"

Before Wes could reply, though, the Hybrid let out a pained roar of agony, pulling his arm back towards the platform as Wes' other scimitar was thrust through Hades' back, piercing through his abdomen in one clean stab. Wes landed hard on the platform, as the man turned, dropping him onto solid ground, but glanced up quickly enough in time to see Viper leap out of the way of the grey-haired man's swipe at the archer. Wes immediately forced himself forwards, extending both of his wrist blades as he closed the distance between himself and the hybrid. With a quick shout, Wes drove both blades deeply into the base man's skull, grabbing hold of the sides of the hybrid's head to drive the blades up into his brain.

"Yeah, I got something to say alright," Wes hissed, glaring into Hades' eyes furiously. "Have fun waiting."

The hunter pulled his arms back, though he snapped his hand forward and grabbed hold of the Stygian Skymerald necklace around Hades' neck almost immediately, snapping the string easily as he removed it from the hybrid. A split second later the hunter drove his foot into Hades' chest, knocking the hybrid off the platform and far into the lava below. Hades sank beneath the surface of the magma without even a scream, his death having come before he even made it to the bottom.

* * *

_Argh! …Hmph. Well done, pretty boy. Looks like you managed to luck out after all._

_What are you? How did a Stygian Zinogre turn into a man?_

_Heh, getting right to the important stuff, huh? I don't even know the answer to that one. You think I have much knowledge around the hows and whys of something like this?_

_Who else would? All I know is that you were a monster, and then you were a man. And every time someone has come across you, they've been either wounded or killed. That includes my friends, you know. _

_And I came pretty damn close to slaughtering the lot of you too! If there's one thing you humans are adept at, it's prolonging the inevitable deaths of your kin. Yet, I would hardly say you're any better than the beasts you so called 'hunters' seek out and kill without hesitation._

_I can't speak for all of mankind, but I can speak for myself when I say that we are better than monsters like you. You attack towns, destroy villages, murder innocent people-!_

_Hahahah! You really are naïve, aren't you?! We aren't some malevolent source of evil, pretty boy! We are animals, beasts struggling to survive every day of our lives! That village was in the way of my path; I had no intention of attacking it, as there was no need. It was you hunters who brought that destruction down upon yourselves._

_And you honestly expect me to believe that? You aren't exactly a reliable source considering you just tried to throw me into a volcano. You were nothing but a monster, and you had to be put down._

_Yet, even when I took the guise of a man, none of you hesitated in trying to strike me down. Don't you get it? It's the nature of you humans to seek out and kill anything that challenges you, even each other! You simply accept what others tell you to do and do it, no questions asked. Do you ever question the motives of your kind? For all you know, the reason you were given this task in the first place was so some noble pup could have a soft fur couch!_

_I know full well why I was given this job! Because I made a mistake, and I needed to fix it!_

_Ah, and was I a part of that mistake? Or was my death just a means to an end for you? Like it or not, you know I'm right; I've felled more than enough hunters to pick up a little information about why you go out on these hunts. Those above you only use fools like yourself as just that. A means to an end. This is a world where it's kill or be killed, pretty boy. You proved that well enough today. But, I do wonder… Will you even survive much longer? For all I know, you could fall within the hour! You, and all of your miserable little comrades-_

_Don't you dare talk bad about them! You're the one who was slain, beast! Not us! The only miserable thing here is you! And let me tell you something, Hades. We will survive. We will keep surviving. Nothing will hold us back, not you, not Elder Dragons, not people, nothing. _

_Heheh… Perhaps I was mistaken. You certainly do possess a certain power, that much is certain. You humans always did have your little tricks… But you are correct. You lived, and I died. Not like anything matters to me at this point. I'm sure something nasty will come and finish you off before too long. Be it man or beast, something will end your life just as you have mine… I'm looking forward to another fight when I see you in the afterlife, pretty boy!_

* * *

Wes let out a short cough as he dropped to one knee, panting exhaustedly. Though his hands were covered in Hades' blood, he didn't feel at all affected by the sight, not at all like the time back in the flooded forest ruins. It was like he just… didn't care, or couldn't care, rather. Hades had tried to kill him and the others, and Wes had to kill the hybrid to protect them.

Wiping his hands clean and pocketing the gemstone he had swiped from the hybrid, the dual blade user pushed himself to his feet, staring down into the opening he had kicked Hades into. Both of his swords had fallen into the lava far below, leaving him unarmed save for his wrist blades and the remaining contents of his item pouch. He let out a low sigh at the thought of having to explain their destruction to his father, but that was something he'd worry about later.

"You alright, bud?" Viper asked, coming up behind the blonde-haired hunter. "That… was a little too close."

"Tell me about it… Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for helping me out there, Viper."

"I could say the same thing. Bastard had me in a chokehold too, and that lightning wasn't making it any better. You're lucky I was able to get to my own Nulberry juice as fast as I did: any later and you'd be burnt worse than a s'more gone bad."

"Guess I really did luck out then, huh? Are the others okay?"

"About as good as we can be," Kat said as she and Harlin joined the pair. "What was that guy though? I've never even heard of something like this happening…"

"I don't know, but it wasn't natural, that's for sure," Harlin sighed. "I've never been tossed around like that before, and my switch axe is completely unusable now."

"Same with my long sword… Why is it that whenever I go on a hunt with you, my sword ends up breaking, Wes?"

"Er… I couldn't answer that even if I tried, Kat." At the mention of her sword, though, Wes turned his gaze to the floor, realizing that Hades' short sword was lying at his feet. The blade must've dropped from his grasp when Viper stabbed him, landing just past the edge of the opening. "Care for a replacement? It isn't a long sword, but..."

"I'm not much of a short sword fan myself, so I think you should hold onto it instead. You'd have a better idea of what you're doing than I would."

"I suppose that's fair... It's better than nothing," Wes mumbled, reaching down and grabbing hold of the Stygian Zinogre weapon. The blade was much heavier than either of his other swords, but it held an impressive edge, and was quite sturdy. It would last him at least until they left the hunting grounds. "Still, we should-"

Before the hunter could finish his sentence, the entire chamber began to shake intensely, forcing the hunters to struggle to maintain their balance as the tremor continued. After a few moments, the shaking subsided, but the sound of the lava was starting to grow closer than before. Peering over the edge of the opening, Wes let out a surprised gasp.

The magma was rising towards them! Wes could see small bolts of dragon element zapping across the surface of the blazing hot substance, and he remembered reading about the incident several years prior that had led to the hazard zone being 'created'. Dragon element's properties were still unknown, but it was somehow causing the volcano to erupt!

"Gods above, can't we catch a break?!" Viper shouted, seeing the rising lava. "We gotta get out of here, now!"

"How?! Hades blocked the entrance earlier!" Harlin said, pointing at the rubble blocking their entry point. "We don't have enough time to move those rocks!"

"Down there! What about that opening?!" Wes glanced in the direction Kat was pointing, seeing the small man-sized opening on the level below theirs. It was a stretch, but if they ran they might be able to make it! Still, they had no idea where it led, but at this point Wes thought anything was better than here.

"C'mon, it's time to get outta here!" he called, beckoning for the others to follow him down the ramp. Despite the growing heat of the magma, the hunters descended as quickly as they could, arriving at the entrance to the opening just before the lava reached the level below. They immediately ran inside, yelping in surprise as the path turned into an incline, sending the group tumbling down into the darkness. Wes managed to right himself, seeing a light approaching them quickly. "Heads up!"

The slide threw them out of a small opening in the wall of a large volcanic chamber in the main hunting ground, where they landed hard on the obsidian floor before rolling to a stop. Wes shook his head as he pushed himself up, feeling a bit scuffed from the fall but otherwise unharmed. The others weren't badly injured either, though Harlin had lost his helmet during the trip down. The cave itself had a large opening towards the southern side, and a stream of lava poured out the side like a waterfall. Some thick stone slabs jutted out from the ground nearby the edge of the cliff, like a row of jagged teeth.

"Where to now?" Viper asked, glancing around the cave quickly. "We need an exit, and fast. That lava will be pouring down on our heads before long, and I'd rather be far away from here before that happens."

"Hey, over here!" Kat shouted. "There's another opening we can take! It looks like it leads outside!"

"Nice find, Kat!" Harlin replied, running over to where the huntress stood waiting by the opening. "Let's get the hell out of here!"

"Viper, let's go!" Wes said, rushing towards the opening along with the archer as their companions darted through the exit. As they were about a dozen feet from the exit, though, another large tremor shook the mountain, almost knocking the hunters off their feet. Though they kept their balance much better this time, a huge number of boulders collapsed in front of them, blocking off the exit and trapping them in the chamber. "Shit!"

"I think that's an understatement, bud!" the archer hissed, glancing back towards the incline. Lava had begun to pour out of the opening into the pool that encompassed most of the room already, causing the blazing substance to begin engulfing the floor. "Not good, not good!"

_Dammit, we need a plan to get out of this! Silver, got any ideas?!_

_One, but I think it speaks volumes about how crazy you are…_

_At this point, anything is better than nothing!_

_Those slabs by the lava fall… Don't they sorta look like those surfboards you used to ride in Moga?_

…_You have got to be fucking kidding me._

_Well, there's no way you can climb out of this one, Wes! It's that or you try to jump for it, and I'm pretty sure you don't want to do that._

"Viper, c'mon!" Wes darted towards the opening of the cave, inspecting the dark stone slabs. They did seem to match the shape of the boards, albeit very crudely, and they were no doubt much heavier, but the bases seemed like they would be easy enough to break off.

"You got a plan?! If we don't get out of here within the next minute or so, we'd be lucky to resemble burnt meat!"

"You ever gone surfing before?"

"Well, river boarding, yeah, but what does that… Wes, you're just fucking with me, right?"

"I really wish I was," the dual blade user replied, driving his foot into the thin base of stone slab. It took a few tries, but eventually the slab collapsed to the floor, the front end hanging just over the edge of the cliff. Viper let out a short curse before doing the same, his improvised board landing a few feet to Wes' right. "I mean, look on the bright side; even if we don't make it out of this, at least we'll go out in the coolest way possible. Ever heard of someone trying to surf down a volcano?"

"There are plenty of ways to die, but that's one way I never once thought about," the archer replied, chuckling a little. "Race you to the bottom!"

"You are so on!" Wes laughed, pushing off after the archer as the rising lava neared them. The hunters slid down the rock face and into the stream of magma flowing down the side of the mountain, their improvised obsidian boards managing to stay above the surface of the heated substance as they landed on it. The dual blade user hissed, feeling as though the heat was burning his skin off, though he forced himself to remain balanced. Viper yelped in surprise ahead of him, swerving to avoid a large rock splitting the stream in half. Wes turned in the opposite path, flinching in surprise as a yellow beak snapped at him from one of the rocks he passed by.

"Wes, keep your eyes open!" Viper shouted, whipping his bow out. "We've got a pack of Uroktors here!"

"That's just perfect!" he responded irately, pulling Hades' sword from his back and slashing the edge at the nearest leviathan as it lunged towards him. The blade nicked the beast's beak, deflecting it as Wes sped past on the lava flow. Another Uroktor leapt towards the hunter, this time propelling itself off the rock it rested upon entirely. Wes gasped in surprise, but before the leviathan was upon him an arrow shot past him, impaling itself right through the monster's neck and knocking it back.

"I've gotcha, bud!"

Wes twisted his head to the side, seeing Viper on the lava flow above him firing arrows at the creatures as they attacked, nailing each one with a single kill shot while maintaining his balance on the obsidian board. The hunter grinned and turned his gaze forward again, twisting his board to swerve past another large rock that blocked their path. Wes quickly pulled a poisonous throwing knife out of his pouch, seeing an Uroktor about to leap on Viper from behind and throwing the blade into the orange-scaled monster's shoulder. The leviathan yelped in pain as the projectile forced it back, halting it from attacking the man.

"Likewise!"

The hunters twisted and weaved between boulders, rocks, and Uroktors, fending off any beast that attacked them while maintaining balance as best they could. Getting struck once would mean certain death for either of them, and the hunters knew that; they made sure to cover each other whenever it was needed, though Wes quickly found himself running out of throwing knives. Viper was likewise running low on arrows. Fortunately, they were most of the way down the mountain now. Wes ducked beneath one leviathan's attempt to tackle him, pushing himself up quickly and slashing another across the torso with his Stygian Zinogre sword. Viper had taken to using an arrow to fend the monsters off at close range, trying to save any shots that he could. Slashing one of the monsters across the neck with a reverse grip, Viper pointed up ahead, his eyes wide.

"Wes, we've got a jump up ahead!"

The hunter turned away from the Uroktor he had just slain to see what Viper meant; sure enough, the stream ended abruptly in a sizable pool of lava below them, and a large obsidian slope jutted out from the edge of the pool, creating a natural ramp of sorts.

"No way we can go around that!" Wes replied quickly, knowing that with their current speed they couldn't just stop and get off on the side of the pool. "Get ready!"

The hunters ducked low as they sped towards the ramp, leaving the Uroktors far behind them as they neared the slope. The front of the rock slabs ground against the hard stone when they connected, but the hunters still found that themselves riding up the short incline and being thrown into the air. For a moment, Wes and Viper soared through the air on their improvised boards, the bottoms of which glowed a bright orange from the magma. They dropped about ten yards down before colliding with the ground below, shattering the stone into pieces and sending the pair tumbling into the edge of the primordial forest surrounding the volcano. Wes was lucky enough to have his fall broken by a large shrub, while Viper was stopped by deflecting off a tree and rolling to a stop on the ground in front of the dual sword user. Though exhausted beyond belief, the pair forced themselves to their feet after a few moments.

"Gods, how we survived that, I don't know," Wes gasped, resting his palms on his knees. He glanced up at the volcano as the mountain began to erupt as it often did, spewing lava and fire into the sky above. He was glad they managed to escape before that had happened.

"It'll make one hell of a story," Viper said, panting heavily and leaning against a tree to keep himself up. "Do you think the others made it out?"

"Hopefully. They had a clear path down the mountain after all…"

"Well looks like we made it, eh bud?"

"Heh… Finally going to start calling me that again, Viper?"

"Considering everything that happened today? I'd say it's the least I can do."

Wes smirked a little before pushing himself up.

"Alright, whattya say we find the others and head back to the village? I don't know about you, but I want to get as far away from here as possible."

"No arguments from me. Let's go."

Nodding to each other, the hunters ventured off towards the village, feeling as though their task was at last completed.

* * *

**Author Notes: Please review! Well, I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise to most of you that Hades would turn out to be a Hybrid as well, though he was a far bigger threat than Aodhan was. Enough so that he even got his own chapter! I've actually been anticipating this fight scene a lot more than most of the ones I've written solely because of the fact that Hades has been such a prevalent threat throughout TMC. It goes without saying that he'd give a team of expert hunters a run for their money in a straight fight, especially when he's fighting at their level. Or, at least, as close to their level as he can get. I would like to add, though, that Hybrids and Wyvernians are completely different, despite the fact that wyvernians are literally "wyvern humans" (at least, that's how I perceive them). And, by the by, there are actually TWO themes I used for this chapter's action scenes! Going off the idea of the "Sun" chapter, the fight scene theme was "Eclipse of the Moon" from Hyrule Warriors, while the escape scene was the Eldin Volcano theme from the same game. Yes, I have begun actually using game music for some scenes. As many as non-game tracks? Nope.**

**So, who all has heard about Monster Hunter Cross? 4U hasn't even been out for a year and we're already getting word of the next game? Isn't that a big surprise! I'd better crack down on writing TMC so I can finish it up before Cross gets released. I still find it a little funny that they used "X" for the symbol though. I was messaging with dashboardgecko a few days back and he used the abbreviation, and I was left wondering why our conversation had suddenly shifted to Pokemon! Still, combined with the news released a few weeks earlier regarding the Monster Hunter RPG, who knows how much new material there will be to write about. Here's to hoping for a hide-headgear option!**

**In other news, I still have a few openings for OCs to use in a supplementary chapter, so if you haven't submitted one yet, feel free to do so! I have a lot of concepts I've been working on, and a few are complete and ready for posting, but if there are any fun misadventures you'd like to see the cast of TMC get into, let me know and I'll give you credit for the idea. Remember, one viewer's submission turned into an entire story, so who knows what kind of potential yours will have!**

**Playing: MH4U (My Palico now looks like Dante and I love it.), Hyrule Warriors, Super Smash Brothers for Wii U/3DS, Pokemon Omega Ruby**

**Watching: Fairy Tale, Game of Thrones**

**Reading: Nothing at the moment, aside from a textbook for an online course**

**Listening to: Pierce the Veil, Rise Against, Avenged Sevenfold, Hyrule Warriors OST**


	23. Return

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 23- Return

"So, you say that this… Aodhan, he claimed to _be _a Silver Rathalos?"

"Not just _a _Rath, but _the _Rath. The same one we were supposed to be hunting. Instead, we found that nutjob, and he started chucking fireballs at us!"

"He… wasn't normal, that's for sure… Really shiny armor though."

"And Mr. Frost and Ms. Snow… You two slew this man?"

"After he attacked us and nearly killed Amethyst and Emerald, yes. We didn't really have much of a choice."

"I do not doubt that you were acting justly. By law you were defending your partners and fighting against a criminal who attempted to murder four members of the Master Corps. You needn't worry about any legal ramifications, Ms. Snow."

"Thank you, Sir."

Trance quietly watched the exchange between the Corps Head and the returning hunters, taking notes of what they had been telling the man. Their story reeked of fantasy; a man claims to be the human form of a Silver Rathalos and attempts to kill four hunters? Not only that, but this man could fly and create fireballs with nothing but his hands? Trance didn't really believe a word of it, but he still made note of all the details the hunters relayed. Then, of course, there was also the silver helm that they had returned with. It was definitely the Rathalos design, but had they really taken it from the fallen man?

"So, is there any explanation you might be able to offer us about this guy?" Emerald asked, crossing her arms and staring intently at the Corps Head. "I mean, is there some weird technology out there that can do this, or what? Foreign tech, maybe? Nothing about that guy made any sense."

"Any and all technology being developed is either within the Science Department below the ground floor or in private labs across the country," Balestra replied, not shifting his gaze from the battered helm lying upon his desk. "There haven't been any reports of any experiments going wrong, and no specialized armor sets have been created with the ability to achieve flight. Not only that, but no other country in the region surpasses ours in terms of scientific studies. Flight is not something our scientists have deemed capable of, at least not on a personal scale. In other words, this man's abilities could not have been anything related to Guild research."

"Then what else could he have been? You don't actually believe that this guy was a Rath, do you?!"

"I have heard rumors of strange occurrences across these lands before, Ms. Emerald. While none have been at all similar to this instance, it would be foolish to disregard a reason such as this. You stated before that you recovered one of the beast's scales, did you not? Yet, the beast itself was not there. Only a man with strange wyvern-like characteristics garbed in the armor of a Silver Rathalos."

Emerald sighed irately, rubbing her temples as she lowered her head. "Why the hell does everyone think that there's some supernatural reason behind this?!"

"Emmy, you have more reason to believe that than most of us…" Amethyst said. "He did kinda kick you across the entire chamber… No normal person alive could do that."

"Who's side are you on, Ammy?!"

"Sorry…"

"No one is on anyone's side here, Emerald," Snow said, turning to face the green-haired huntress. "Aside from the one we're all on, that is. Is it really that hard to say that maybe something like this _could _happen? There are plenty of other things in the world that can't really be explained, right? They just sort of… happen, yeah?"

"Monsters do not just _happen _to turn into humans, Snow! We are two completely different species! There is nothing that relates us in any way, shape, or form! We humans kill them and make them into tools to kill more of them, and that's that!"

"Peace, both of you," Balestra interjected, drawing the attention of the two huntresses. "Whatever the reason, I will have it looked into. For now, you are ordered to relay that you successfully hunted the Silver Rathalos. No talk of this… Wyvern man you spoke of. Until we get to the bottom of this, it would be for the best to not spread unnecessary rumors throughout the city."

"…Fine, whatever. Let's go, Ammy," Emerald said, turning away after a moment and dragging the purple-haired bowgunner away with her.

Trance watched as the two left the man's office, leaving him alone with Balestra and the Twins. He noted that Snow looked a bit despondent as the pair left, though considering she and her brother had just killed a man, he felt her expression was justified. Frost was as calm and steely as ever though, standing just behind his sister with his arms crossed. Trance suspected Frost wasn't as concerned with their actions as Snow was, though his helm hid his face as always, so the officer couldn't be too certain about it.

_Guess I might call it simple intuition, _the Guild officer thought, scratching the side of his head awkwardly. He glanced up quickly as Balestra cleared his throat, readying his notepad in case he had to jot down any more details.

"Now then, I would very much like to know how the two of you managed to slay a man with this sort of power," the Corps Head stated, folding his hands and resting them on his desk. "From the looks of it, you both suffered very few wounds, despite this man having kicked Ms. Emerald across the entirety of the tower's inner chamber."

"Uhm… Well, it… it's hard to really say. He fought a lot like a Rathalos would, and we've fought a number of them before, so it really just boiled down to instincts taking over," Snow began slowly, glancing back at the long sword user behind her. Frost nodded as she continued speaking, affirming that he agreed with her explanation. "Plus, we work well together, and he wasn't armed like we were, so it really just boiled down to us outperforming him on the ground."

"I see. And what of your own physical capabilities, hmm? Were you far outclassed, or no?"

"Eh… Well, yes. I mean, he was much stronger than we were; he was able to destroy a large boulder with his bare hands."

"Truly. Forgive me for expressing my doubts, but I do find this very hard to believe. After all, wasn't Mr. Frost the one who was able to force back an Ivory Lagiacrus with a single punch? I do have an eyewitness account of that instance, after all, as well as your confirmation of those events."

"Well, uh… that's not- what I mean is-"

"Please, do take your time Ms. Snow."

Trance raised an eyebrow as the Corps Head sat back in his chair, silently watching the white-haired huntress as she fidgeted about nervously. What was he trying to do, accuse them of something? Sure, they were both pretty strong, but it wasn't that hard to believe that they could take down a single person when working together, even if that man had some sort of incredible powers at his disposal. Hunters practically dealt with challenges like that on a daily basis! Just before Snow began to speak up again, though, Trance heard the door fling open, swiftly turning towards the entrance of the office along with everyone else present.

"Wes?"

"Sorry to interrupt and all, but we need to talk right now," the dual sword user said, immediately approaching the Corps Head's desk.

Trance was rather surprised, not only the fact that he had just barged into a meeting unannounced, but also his physical appearance. He looked like he had literally gone through hell on his last job.

His entire body was covered in soot, and a few parts of his armor looked like they had been singed or burned off. Most notably, though, was the damage to his chest armor. The black leather had never returned from a job looking any worse for wear, but this time must've been different, as the vest had a massive tear running diagonally across the hunter's chest, splitting the material beneath it and revealing the red scale suit beneath it all. It was like something had just torn right through it! Trance wasn't sure just how far the tear went, though he could tell the hunter was having a difficult time holding it together. He'd seen other hunters return from hunts on the verge of collapse, barely running off of the healing factors potions offered, and Wes definitely fit the bill.

"…Excuse me? Mr. Wes, I am in the middle of a debriefing at the moment, so if you could kindly wait until I am done with Mr. Frost and Ms. Snow, I would-"

The hunter cut the Corps Head off by pulling a blade free from his belt and setting it down on the table in front of the man, earning a confused glance from the Corps Head. The blade looked like one of the two weapons in the Stygian Superbia set of dual blades, the larger, darker colored dragon element one. It would make sense for Wes to own a pair of the weapons- dual blades were his specialty, after all- but he hadn't ever used a similar pair before. Trance hadn't ever seen him user a weapon aside from the In fact, all of his weapons were custom made; Trance hadn't ever seen him use a weapon aside from the two pairs of custom-made swords he owned, though the pair he had left with were curiously missing.

"It'll sound crazy, but that Stygian Zinogre we went out to hunt? It turned into a man!"

"Wait, what?" Snow asked, taking a step forwards. "You mean… Wes, did the same thing happen to your team too?"

"Same thing? Are you telling me that Silver Rathalos also turned into a person?"

"Y-yeah, we were just going over that! What happened? Are the rest of your team okay?"

"We just barely survived the fight. Harlin and Kat got attacked while we were heading back to the village, so Viper and Hugh had to take them to the medical ward when we got back. They aren't too badly injured, but almost all of our weapons got trashed in the fight. Not to mention the fact that Viper and I had to surf down the side of the damn mountain to escape…"

"Hold a moment, Mr. Wes," the Corps Head said abruptly, cutting the pair off. "You mean to say that Hades, your assigned target for the hunt, ended up being a man instead?"

"Not at first, no," the blue- and green-eyed hunter explained. "When we first saw it… _him, _he was the same as always. Just as big and deadly as before. We drove him away from the village and into the volcano, and when the others and I followed, we came across the peak of another tower, buried into the volcano itself. That's where we found Hades again, except this time he was a guy with a _huge_ murder fetish. Almost threw me into a pit of lava, and this was _after _he started slinging dragon lightning at us."

"Wait, he had command over dragon element?" Trance asked, glancing up from his notes. "As in, the stuff that no one understands at all? And the stuff that took off a chunk of the map a few years ago when that dragonator misfired?"

"One and the same, yeah. But the same thing happened to Snow's team too? What gives?" The dual blade wielder immediately turned his gaze on Balestra, though the Corps Head simply raised his hand.

"Peace, Mr. Wes. We were in the midst of figuring that out before you interrupted our meeting," Balestra replied. "Please, do explain what transpired on your mission. As long as you have had a similar experience, perhaps something about your job may shed some light on what these occurrences are."

Trance listened intently as the dual blade wielder recounted the fight between his team and the Stygian Zinogre. Trance was surprised at how well the hunter explained everything, from the encounter at the village to the fight inside the volcano to his and Viper's daring escape down the blazing flows of lava while atop thick stone slabs (the last of which he found equally amazing and impossible). Wes concluded his tale with the group finally departing the town, which had been damaged during the fighting. Fortunately, it seemed like Hugh was going to pay for the repairs, so Trance was at least relieved that he wouldn't have to file an extensive damage report on the events to the Guild.

"So, this man called himself Hades and attacked your team? On the top of an underground tower in the middle of a volcano?"

"In short, yes," Wes replied, pointing down at the blade he had brought in. "You want proof, then here it is. He dropped that before I kicked him into the volcano."

"…I suppose I needn't ask if there is a body then," Balestra sighed, leaning back in his chair. "And with the body of this Aodhan fellow having been buried beneath a sizeable portion of a large stone ramp, the chances of finding anything to support your claims are very slim."

"Slim or not, I know one thing: that guy _was _the Stygian Zinogre we were hunting."

"And how can you be so certain of this, Mr. Wes? What proof do you bring aside from the supposed weapon this man used to support you claims? I will not rule out the possibility, but without solid proof I cannot affirm that your story is true."

"Have you ever seen a man control dragophage bugs before?" Wes answered simply, wincing slightly as he shifted in place. "Hell, I could just tell by looking at him. A monster like Hades is at the top of the food chain. Almost nothing could challenge him as a beast, and he knew that. With the way he was going on and on about crushing us like Altaroth, and flinging us around the room like ragdolls, it was pretty simple to draw that conclusion."

"Hmm… Unfortunately I cannot accept that as substantial evidence, though I cannot refute your word either, considering Ms. Snow's tale. I will have to look into this more, it seems. I suppose I should just be thankful your teams escaped these encounters without any casualties."

"Yeah, so should I," Wes mumbled, shaking his head lightly. "So what are we supposed to say about it then, huh? This isn't exactly the type of story that would stay on the down-low for long, Sir."

Trance noticed Snow spare a quick sideways glance towards Frost, who merely dipped his head a bit and continued to watch the exchange quietly.

"Until we are able to gather more information about these… Hybrids, it would be best if you simply didn't say anything about them. This news is alarming, to say the least, and I am unsure how the public –or the Guild itself- would react to these claims."

"So these hunts never happened then, is that it?"

"No, they went off without much incident, Mr. Wes. As for the spoils… I am curious as about them. Perhaps they may shed some light on these Hybrids, so long as the Science Department is able to uncover more information from them. I will have word sent to the other members of your team to refrain from speaking about this openly, though I fear word will escape before long regardless… In any case, well done on successfully completing your mission. You all are dismissed for now; I will call for you again if I have need for your information again. Good day."

Trance sighed lightly as he set his notepad down, watching the three hunters depart the office. His hand felt cramped from having to write down all of those notes so quickly, leading him to repeatedly clench his hand to sooth the muscles somewhat.

"Quite a strange turn of events, hmm, Mr. Trance?" Balestra said after a moment, pushing himself to his feet.

"Er… yeah, I suppose it is," he replied, blinking once in surprise.

"Tell me, what are your thoughts on the tales these hunters returned with?"

"Well, I really don't believe it's possible. I mean, like Emerald said, how on Earth could a full-sized wyvern turn into a human being? I know the Science Department has some weird experiments going on down there, but this is something I've never even heard once when I was there. I'm not exactly strong with science myself, but it just seems logically impossible."

"You would do well to expand your horizons a bit more in that case. We live in a world filled to the brim with men and women who repeatedly show time and time again that the word 'impossible' means little to them. Four human beings can stand up to a dragon the size of this building and successfully defeat it."

"I suppose you do have a point, but it still doesn't seem possible to me, Sir. Maybe if there was some… magic mumbo jumbo or something going on, but I really doubt that would be the case, all things considered."

"As I said, it is important to remain open to any answer to a question you may find, Mr. Trance. Even the impossible ones may hold some merit to them. Now then, it is getting to be quite late, and there is much I have to think about now. You are dismissed as well, Mr. Trance. Good day."

* * *

Sapphire groaned as the tip of her pencil snapped off once again, sending a small rain of lead shards onto the paper she had been drawing on.

"Great, there goes another one… Never buying this brand again, that's for sure," she said, tossing the depleted utensil into the bin beside her desk.

The huntress returned her attention to the sheet, gently blowing off the debris left by her previous pencil and inspecting her progress. She was pleased with how well it had been coming along, despite the rather poor quality of her recently-purchased art supplies. She'd heard a lot of rumors of a bird wyvern known as a Yian Kut-Ku lately, and apparently there was a fanclub in Loc Lac dedicated to the beast. After doing a little research on it, she had decided to draw a rather humorous sketch of the Kut-Ku wearing a fancy hat and a monocle. With any luck, one of the bird wyvern's fans might share her sense of humor and would buy the drawing from her, or better yet, let her auction it off to the highest bidder at one of their club meetings.

"Maybe if I gave it a suit or something, that might complete the look," she mused, glancing at the empty lower half of her paper.

Just as she grabbed a fresh pencil to continue her work with, though, she heard a light grunt and a thud from out in the hallway. Looking towards her door curiously, the huntress got to her feet and opened it a crack to see who it was, her eyes widening happily as she spied a familiar head of blonde hair across the hall. Almost immediately, though, her expression was replaced with one of concern; Wes had his hand propped up against the wall next to his door and was panting heavily.

"Wes? Are you alright?" she asked, stepping towards him quickly.

"Y-yeah, never better," he replied weakly, glancing over at her for a moment. "…Okay, maybe not… Could you give me a hand, Saph? I feel like I'm about to fall over…"

"Sure thing!" The blue-haired huntress quickly lent him an arm, helping the dual blade wielder stumble into his room awkwardly. Now that she could see his front, the huntress could hardly contain a gasp at the sight of the hunter's ruined armor. It was like something had rent the material apart, and almost everything that was covering his upper body was on the verge of falling off. She quickly helped him take a seat on the edge of his bed, and the dual blade wielder let out a relieved sigh as he got off his feet. "What happened, Wes? You look really roughed up…"

"Hades was just as tough as ever," he grimaced, rubbing his shoulder slowly. After a moment, the section of his vest came loose, and with a surprised look the hunter glanced at the piece of his ruined armor. "You've gotta be kidding me…"

"How did all of that happen? I mean, I've never seen your armor get damaged this badly before…"

"Took a nasty shock from a bolt of dragon element… My armor is good against everything _but _that, unfortunately…" Wes flinched in pain as he crossed his arm over his chest in an awkward attempt to undo the bindings holding the vest together. Sapphire stepped forwards, pushing his hand aside and undoing the binding herself.

"Here, let me handle this… You're not in a good shape at all right now, Wes. After I get this off of you, I'll give you a hand over to the medical ward, okay?"

"No, I'm fine, Saph… I might be kind of beat up, but it's nothing that needs a hospital visit. Plus… I just spent three months in there. I don't want to go back this soon."

"Well… alright, but you have to let me care for you instead then. Considering you can hardly take your shirt off at the moment, I think you'll need whatever help you can get."

"Er… Thanks, I appreciate it," he replied awkwardly, earning a cheery smile from the huntress.

"Anytime! Now then, let's get this off of y- oh geez…!"

Sapphire flinched a little at the sight of Wes' chest after removing the Rathalos-scaled shirt he wore. At the center of his torso, there was a large red mark like an electrical burn. It ran across most of his chest, smaller branches crossing over his ribs and shoulders. The dual blade wielder gave her a confused look before glancing down at the wound himself, grimacing at what he saw.

"Yeowtch… Didn't think it was… that bad… Barely noticed it earlier…"

"Wes, this is a really bad wound! You said a bolt of dragon element did this?!"

"Well… More like a burst or a wave, but… Same diff, right...?"

"You knuckleheaded… Hang on, I'll get a rag with some Nulberry juice to help ease the redness. Hopefully that wound won't remain for long… I'm taking you right over to the medical ward though. You'll need more than a rag for this, Wes."

"I dunno… Looks kinda like a sun, doesn't it?" the hunter chuckled, his eyes growing hazy as he swayed to the side. "Definitely wouldn't be the… worst looking scar in the world…"

The hunter fell back onto his mattress then, arms sprawled out towards either side. Sapphire stood up immediately, bringing her hand to the side of his neck worriedly. At first, she didn't feel anything, but after a moment of intense worry she realized that her hand wasn't in the right place. Moving her fingers up his neck, she found a steady pulse beneath his jaw, filling the short sword wielder with relief: he was merely unconscious.

"At least he can still look on the bright side of things…" she mumbled, gingerly pulling the man over and resting his head on the pillows at the head of his bed. She returned to her room for a few moments to get a rag soaked in Nulberry extract, which she promptly rested over Wes' torso upon returning. He flinched a little in his sleep, the rag causing some discomfort, but the huntress knew it was necessary. She had seen a wound like this before, after all…

Glancing back up at the unconscious hunter, Sapphire couldn't help but remember him. It had been years since that had happened, yet she still found herself unable to forget the events of that horrible day. Wes was like him, and that was what drew her to him at first.

It was also what worried her the most.

* * *

"This isn't good."

"No, no it isn't… Why now, of all times?"

"It was only a matter of time. I wasn't expecting circumstances like these though."

"How could we have, Frost? Aodhan was one thing, but Hades too? There's no way word of this won't get out before long, and then it's only a matter of time until-"

"Calm down, Snow."

The white-haired woman ceased her pacing and glanced over at her brother, who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. His expression was as calm and steely as ever. Even in a situation like this, he didn't show any signs of worry, though how he did it was beyond her.

"Frost, it isn't that simple, and you know it…" Snow sighed, resting her forehead in her hand.

At that moment, she realized how cold her hands had grown, and saw that small flakes of snow had begun to fall from the ceiling above. She swallowed nervously before focusing on controlling her breathing, eventually managing to calm herself down somewhat and return the room to a normal temperature.

"Doesn't matter if it's simple or not. It's necessary," Frost replied bluntly, catching one of the flakes in his palm as the small flurry began to subside.

"I know, I know… Exactly what is our plan if we get found out? You heard what Emerald said! Not only that, but I think Balestra's onto us too now. If Wes hadn't interrupted, who knows how things might've turned out."

"Emerald is one person. Balestra too. People can be silenced." The long sword user clenched his hand around the snowflake to emphasize his point, making the huntress flinch slightly at the idea.

"That's-! No, Frost, we are _not_ resorting to that."

"…Very well. I will not sit idly while they attempt to skewer us, though."

"That's _if _it comes to that," she said, though it was more of an attempt to reassure herself than anything. The situation was bad, that much was certain, but all she could do was try to maintain her composure. If she or Frost couldn't… It would make their efforts all for nothing. Still, there was at least one thing that gave her some additional confidence. "Do you… do you think Wes would understand? We've been able to talk to him about this, even if we didn't really go too far into it…"

"He would be the best person to go to, but I'm not sure how well he'd take the news after the fight with Hades. You saw the condition he was in. Chances are, the others are in rough shape too."

"It's still worth a shot, right? And it would be better if we told him sooner rather than later… Especially _because _of this! How would it feel for him if he didn't get the truth after all of this?"

"I couldn't tell you."

"Ugh… But what are the chances of Hades turning out like that too? If only Aodhan had been the only one… If Emerald and Amethyst hadn't been there, maybe we could've let him live without causing much of a problem."

"He was still a threat. Other hunters and monsters frequent that tower. How this has been happening is a mystery to me, but those towers have something to do with it, that much is for certain."

"That figures, considering where mother's nest was… But why us? Why Aodhan and Hades? What's making this all happen? And how, for that matter?"

"We've been asking each other those questions for years, Snow. We'll find the answers one day. Until then… We need to be cautious."

"Just like always, huh…"

* * *

"…and you managed to come up with these revisions for the design that quickly, Monreak?"

"I had a surge of inspiration earlier. I could probably get these additions put together in a few days, depending on how much I eat and sleep."

"Do try to maintain your health, my friend. As much as your pursuit of technology thrills me, even I know the value of taking a break every now and again. On that note, why not return home for the night? You've been hard at work for days now, and I'm certain your family must miss your presence."

"Ah… Well, you may have a point there, Joshua. I'll see you tomorrow then."

The red-haired scientist watched as his colleague departed, smiling slightly as he turned his gaze towards the large case Monreak had set down upon his desk. The man had been enamored by the thought of designing the perfect weapon for a long time now, and Joshua had to admit that Monreak's efforts were showing. The Triblade was revolutionary, and with any luck it might make it out onto the open market. Still, for the man's most recent endeavors to work, he'd have to push himself very hard to perfect them.

"Mr. Joshua! I think I've done it!"

The green-eyed man glanced over in the direction of the shout, seeing Parry waving him over urgently. Most of the other scientists had already departed by now, yet he was still here? He must've been onto something… Intrigued, Joshua made his way over to the researcher.

"Done what, exactly?"

"I think I've completed the Zealot Project, well and truly!" the man explained, gesturing towards the table beside him. A large white sheet was draped over the desk, covering everything beneath it, though based on the shape of the cloth there must have been a body underneath. "I was hoping you would remain and oversee the last step in the process?"

"Ah, yes! I recall you bringing the designs to me many months ago now… Well then, let's take a look at it now, hmm?"

Without a word, the researcher pulled the sheet back, revealing what was beneath. Joshua raised an eyebrow at what he saw.

The body beneath the cloth had been garbed completely in a grey and yellow body suit, which had numerous plates fixated around the chest and torso areas that acted as padded armor, the largest of which was about four centimeters thick. The legs and left arm were similarly covered with thinner padding, though curiously the right arm faded from grey to black towards the hand. The suit's gloves and boots were made with a light, yet strong rubbery material that provided an excellent grip. In the center of the chest was a hollow space that looked to be about the same size as the magma rubies. The helm, meanwhile, was largely rectangular shaped on the top half. The upper half extended forward about five inches, thinning out somewhat towards the end, while another ruby-sized hollow was located in the center of the 'face'. The lower section resembled a human jawline, though much more angular and blocky than most helmets he had seen. The entire helm was painted grey, matching the color of the suit. To the side of the body, a straight single-edged blade rested, bearing a color similar to that of the suit. Beneath that, a small rectangular box with a number of buttons lining the top rested on the counter, a small antenna jutting out from the top.

"Well, this certainly looks like you've been working hard," Joshua remarked, inspecting the body suit closely. "And you say that this essentially provides a remotely-controlled hunter, yes?"

"In theory, yes. Using a lot of the frequency technology we've been testing, I was able to devise a way to establish a connection between the Zealot and the controller itself. Using the speaker within the controller, the Zealot can be made to perform specific actions, such as attacking or defending against monsters or patrolling an area. It can operate almost a mile from the operator as well, allowing for it to guard large establishments without much concern for the operator."

"And you have tested this?"

"Well… In print, yes. I'd still like to run a few lab tests before deploying the Zealot in the field, but I can control it! Care to see?"

"By all means."

Perry took the two magma rubies he had been testing with from the table behind him, fitting them into place in both of the hollows on the suit. Small metallic bolts latched onto the gems as soon as the scientist's hands moved away, firmly securing them in place. They took a step back after Perry took hold of the controller, moving the device to his mouth a pressing one of the buttons.

"Zealot, awaken."

There was a slight glow in the ruby mounted in the suits helm, followed by a twitch of the body's hand. A moment later, the Zealot began to rise up into a sitting position, jolting occasionally as it did so, but maintaining a surprising amount of fluidity the entire time.

"Now stand, and take up your sword."

The Zealot did exactly what Perry said, sliding over the counter and falling slightly onto its feet. Though it staggered slightly, the body remained standing, balanced perfectly on both legs. The body's head turned to the side, and upon catching sight of the blade, it reached out slowly, wrapping its fingers around the handle and gripping it firmly. It turned back towards the researcher then, as if expecting another command. Joshua noted the two guards posted by the elevator shifting anxiously, their hands on their rapiers; admittedly it was a somewhat unnerving sight, but any nervousness the Head Scientist may have felt was replaced by an overwhelming sense of intrigue.

"Is the Zealot capable of combat?"

"Absolutely. Here, let me show you… Zealot, report to chamber one for combat testing."

The grey-suited figure immediately shifted its 'gaze' towards the room and marched off in the direction of the chamber, bumping into a table slightly as it did so, but navigating the cramped floor rather well. After entering, the researchers had the door sealed, locking the Zealot inside with half a dozen logs used for practice dumies.

"Zealot, eliminate all practice targets," Perry ordered into the remote, pressing a separate button on the remote. The grey-suited figure's head flinched slightly before the Zealot shifted into a combat stance. "Thankfully, the brain of this body was preserved quite well due to how quickly the body was recovered, meaning that almost every skill that this man possessed in real life will be accessible to the Zealot. I was able to make a few modifications to the suit as well, using the energy from the magma rubies to power certain functions. Observe…"

Joshua watched intently as the Zealot sprang forwards, blade leveled at the closest dummy. The grey-suited figure slashed its blade clean through the hard wood, splitting the dummy in half with hardly an effort. The grey figure spun about on the ball of its foot immediately afterwards, slicing the second dummy's head clean off with a single swing of its blade. It moved with amazing dexterity, seamlessly twisting around and impaling the third target through the center. Joshua felt like he had seen a fighting style similar to it before, though he couldn't quite recall from where.

"And that is simply basic combat functions," the researcher continued as the Zealot followed his earlier instructions. "The suit has a few small surprises itself. Ahem… Zealot, activate Point Breaker."

A subtle gleam appeared in the ruby embedded in the figure's helm, and the Zealot suddenly lashed out with its free arm, planting a fist directly in the center of the nearest dummy's torso. Four small bars rose from different angles on his wrist, each one glowing with a red hue. A light whirring sound filled the chamber, and a moment later a massive burst of energy erupted from the Zealot's arm, completely shattering the dummy into hundreds of charred splinters, many of which struck the far wall of the chamber almost twenty feet away. The figure's arm was pushed back by the recoil, causing it to step back to keep its footing.

"Well, that is quite something," Joshua mused, watching the prongs retract back into the figure's arm before turning towards the debris left behind by the blast. "Exactly what was that? Gunlance technology, I presume?"

"A derivative of it, yes. The entire suit is powered by the energy of the magma rubies, and it can use that energy to use the Point Breaker system. Basically, energy is channeled into the four prongs –our gunlance 'chamber' if you will- and the prongs direct the energy into a short range burst of energy capable of punching through steel. A powerful tool, but I'm afraid it drains quite a bit of energy."

"Yet, the energy within the rubies restores itself given enough time, so there is no real harm in this so long as the suit remains operational, correct?"

"Yes, though as a precaution I installed another addition to the suit's other arm. The right hand was missing from this body, requiring a prosthetic replacement. I altered that prosthetic to allow it to absorb energy directly from any magma ruby it comes into contact with, essentially giving the suit a way to replenish energy externally."

"Ah, very smart of you to do so. Tell me, are there any other functions this suit has access to aside from Point Breaker?"

"One other feature, yes. It would likely drain most of the remaining energy in the suit, as I was running some tests with it earlier, but I suppose a short demonstration wouldn't be too difficult to manage… Zealot, activate Omega Drive," Perry ordered.

The red gem in the figure's helm shone once more with a crimson light before the entire suit was wrapped in a hazy red energy, flickering about the Zealot's body as though it were on fire. The figure visibly tensed its body as more energy was drawn out from the gems in the suit. A moment later, almost faster than Joshua's eyes could keep track of, the Zealot launched itself towards the two remaining dummies, leaving a reddish after trail in the space it moved through. The best way Joshua could describe what happened next was that the Zealot utterly dismantled the targets, its blade whizzing between them like a spider weaving its web. After delivering an innumerable amount of cuts to the targets, the figure stepped back, sheathing its blade diagonally across the back of its waist using a small loop attached at the hip. As soon as the blade latched into place, the dummies fell apart into two piles of wooden chunks, clattering noisily in the room as the Zealot's aura began to die down.

"My…" Joshua mumbled, staring intently at one of the wooden chunks through the window. Even at that distance, he could see the cuts were some of the cleanest he'd ever laid eyes upon. "That was quite the display, Perry. It seems your work has been well invested!"

"I'm happy to accept your praise, Joshua. Trying to actually get Omega Drive to work was one of the more difficult aspects of this design. I wished to push the suit's capabilities as far as I could, but trying to get the energy flow to increase throughout the entire body was quite the challenge. I am pleased with the result, though: a sort of 'Demon Mode' for the Zealot to use in combat."

"Ah, so it is based on the hunting technique then? That ability is only open to so many individuals…"

"That was part of the difficulty as well; if this person hadn't been capable of it in life, Omega Drive wouldn't have worked. I still don't quite understand the criteria necessary for harnessing that energy, but it was pivotal in the activation of-"

A loud _thud _drew the pair's attention back to the chamber, where the Zealot had collapsed in the center of the chamber. The gemstones in its suit were dark, the energy they held having been sapped completely by the suit.

"Ah, that is… Quite unfortunate," Perry sighed. "It would appear the power of the rubies was drained. I believe the only way we can get the Zealot back to my workstation is if we got another power source for it to use…"

"Could we not just lift it? I'm certain the guards could assist us…"

"I think you underestimate the weight of the suit, Joshua. That, and the fact that I still haven't _quite _perfected the energy drawing technology, so it may sap power from sources besides magma rubies. You do recall what happened to Mr. Bender last week, yes?"

"Sudden dehydration and collapsing from fatigue? I did find it strange that he would have been in a state like that after a long holiday. Wait, the Zealot was the cause of that?"

"During a test, I wished to see if the Zealot was able to interpret basic commands, such as shaking hands. Well, it led with the right…"

"…Perhaps it would be better to replace the gems then. And, if I may ask, what make is the blade the Zealot uses?"

"It was based on an ancient text one of the teams uncovered during an expedition into one of the temples in the Flooded Forest region. It uses a very particular blend of ores with a powerful shock applied along its length, which is then contained within the sword itself. The frequency of the electricity heightens the sharpness of the blade's edge, and increases the durability tenfold. Though I must say, it does seem like these texts contain information well beyond their age in advancement."

"A peculiar bit of information, isn't it? Perhaps one day we will discover more about them. As for now, let us get your project back to your workstation."

* * *

"Ugh… Teach, what's with the early morning training routine?" Cassian grumbled, hardly stifling a yawn as he followed after the older hunter alongside Aquila, Ilia, and Jango.

It was barely even dawn yet, and while the eastern sky was illuminated somewhat by the sun hidden beneath the horizon, it was still dark enough that York had to bring a torch along with him to illuminate the path. The light cast by the flickering flames of the torch shimmered on the drops of dew covering the leaves and grass around them, surrounding the hunters with small glittering glass-like orbs.

"I'm with Cass on this one… It isn't even four yet," Ilia mumbled tiredly. The group only had time to equip their leather gathering sets because of how early they had been roused, and they clearly looked nervous at the idea of going on a hunt in gear as weak as that.

"Relax, we aren't going to hunt anything," York reassured, glancing back at the four as they continued down the path. "I just had something I wanted to show you all."

"At four in the morning? It couldn't have waited until… I dunno, four in the afternoon?" Aquila said, rubbing the back of his head in an attempt to mat down a bit of his hair that was sticking out at an odd angle. "And aren't there supposed to be really dangerous monsters out at night?"

"Well, not everything happens around here during the afternoon, kid. Sometimes the sights happen before anyone sees them. As for the monsters, no need to worry about them; we won't be going towards any spots they'd be roaming in anyways."

The blue-eyed man smirked slyly as he heard the apprentices mumble confusedly behind him. He had to admit, it was fun screwing around with them whenever he had the chance. Of course, he didn't wake them up and sneak them out into Moga Woods in the middle of the night just to play a joke on them. They were leaving for the Hunter's Examination in Loc Lac within the week, and he wasn't sure when he'd have the chance to show them what he was hoping for them to see before then.

The group continued down the trail for a ways before taking a subtly hidden path on the left. York extinguished the torch and set it aside before moving into the foliage, knowing that it was bright enough now to at least see in front of himself without it. The apprentices mumbled sourly at the lack of a light source, and the dual sword user occasionally heard a short grunt or a yip as one of the younger hunters tripped on some unseen obstacle, but the group continued moving ahead anyways.

After about fifteen minutes of trekking through the foliage, the hunters came to a halt at the foot of a large mountain, a single path leading up its side at a relatively steep angle. Upon seeing the tall mound before them, the apprentices let out a collective groan.

"This place again? I thought we were done with climbing practice, Teach!" Jango groaned, his expression souring.

"Who ever said that this was practice? Come on, let's get to it!"

The younger hunters reluctantly made their way up the path, with York following after them. It only took a few moments for them to come to a tall rock face covered in cracks, bumps, and all manner of foot and handholds. He'd taken the group to this spot many times before to learn how to scale walls like it very easily, though he was pretty sure the lessons had led to the apprentices acquiring a strong distaste for the mountain. There weren't many spots like this around Moga, though, so some of his lessons had also taken place within the village, which the younger ones usually found to be much more entertaining.

The hunters began climbing almost immediately, not wishing to prolong their time on the rock wall any longer than they had to. When York had first started them out, they were barely able to make it ten feet up the wall, and even that took them a few minutes. Now, though, they had already reached that height within seconds, and were climbing ever higher still. They had come a long way, that much was for sure.

The one-eyed hunter watched as the others moved above him, practically jumping several feet up the wall whenever they had a good enough foothold to do so. Cass let out a short curse as a small bird flew past him, startling him slightly, but while York instinctively prepared to catch the great sword user in case his grip failed, the green-eyed man managed to steadfastly cling to the rock wall, earning a short chuckle from his teacher.

They managed to climb the rest of the way with barely an incident, though at one point Jango had to stop and use his inhaler after a few too many upward leaps, and eventually the hunters clambered over the ledge onto solid ground. The platform they stood on was a solid fifty feet across, and about thirty feet wide, giving them more than enough room to space out and recover after the climb. The wall opposite them was made up of a series of rock shelves about six feet high, staggered unevenly in a path further up the mountain. Some even overlapped, doubling the height of some shelves and putting others at about nine feet. York had felt that a flying wyvern might use this ledge as a nesting ground at some point, though he had never seen a beast land there before, so he continued using it as a training ground for the others.

"Alright, so here we are," Aquila said, glancing around inquisitively. "What did you want to show us?"

"We aren't quite there yet, actually," York replied, earning another exasperated sigh from the group. "We've still got a bit more climbing ahead of us; don't worry, this is mostly just ledges now. Come on, we're almost there."

York led the younger hunters to the rock shelf, hoisting himself up onto the first of the steps while the others followed suit at different points. He pointed upwards at a small opening at the top of the steps as the others moved past him.

"That cave up there is our goal. Last one there has to buy breakfast!"

Barely a second after the words left his lips, the others began to climb markedly faster, climbing up the shelves with surprising dexterity and speed. Aquila and Ilia were a fair bit better than Cass and Jango at this, vaulting up the steps as though they were nothing more than tall crates at the port. Cass and Jango weren't far behind them, though, only struggling at a few points, but still stopping to help each other up whenever they could. They'd been working together for long enough that it seemed like they were moving as one, scaling the cliffs at different points and giving each other a hand up without even needing to call to each other. York had to admit, the sight impressed him greatly.

"Hey, Teach! If you don't hurry up the tab'll be on you!" the great sword user called down, helping Ilia up to the ledge he was standing on. They were more than halfway to the cave already.

"Maybe I just felt like giving you kids a headstart," he replied after a short chuckle. In truth, he intended to let them win, but he wanted to push them a little too. Scaling up the shelves after them, the hunter surprised the apprentices by scaling even the taller shelves far faster than they had, using the hook attachment on his wristblade to pull himself higher up at a much quicker pace. The four let out startled yelps before redoubling their efforts, scurrying up the ledges and practically throwing each other up to the next platform when helping each other. Aquila let out a surprised grunt as the others used him as a ladder to climb up a taller ledge Cass had hoisted him up to, a sight York found very amusing.

Despite almost catching up to the younger hunters, York still held back just enough to make sure they made it into the opening before him. The dual blade wielder chuckled as he entered the darkened cavern, hearing the four panting heavily to catch their breaths.

"Well, damn. Guess I have to pay for breakfast, huh?"

"You… did that… on purpose…" Ilia wheezed, unslinging her bowgun from her back and taking a seat on the floor.

"Seriously… No need to… humor us, old man..." Cassian added, sticking the tip of his great sword into the floor and using it to prop himself up. "Not like you aren't… faster than us already…"

"I've also been doing this kind of stuff for thirty years. Considering you lot have only been doing it for two at most, I'd say you've come a pretty long way… Well, a long way UP, that is."

"And why did you have us climb all the way up here?" the short sword wielder inquired, helping Jango up to his feet.

"Well, follow me and I'll show you," York answered, walking further into the cave. After a moment's hesitation, the four followed after their teacher.

While the path grew a fair bit darker as they followed after him, the apprentices were surprised to see a small light up ahead of them. The path sloped upwards slightly, but at York's encouraging, the hunters rushed ahead to see where the path led, shouting after each other as they raced towards the exit. York wasn't far behind them, stepping out onto the large platform just outside the cave and glancing around to see the apprentices' surprised expressions.

The ledge they stood upon was even larger than the one they had been on previously, being almost twice as large. Unlike the last ledge though, which had been nothing but rocks and stone, this one was covered in vibrant green grass and colorful flowers. A large tree was growing to their left, while to the right the hunters had a spectacular view of the entirety of the island's hunting grounds, the sun rising above the sea in the distance. The light cast by the bright orb painted the sky a brilliant orange shade, and the clouds a light pink. Even from this distance the hunters could see a pair of Raths flying low over a clearing, searching for any prey that may be wandering about in the early hours of the morning. The only sounds they could hear were the beating of the wyverns' wings and the light howl of the wind blowing over the grass they stood upon.

"Quite the sight, isn't it?" the one-eyed hunter remarked, stepping past the apprentices and coming to a stop a few feet from the edge of the cliff.

"It's beautiful…" Ilia replied and the others nodded in agreement. None of them had seen the island like this before, that much was certain.

"Kinda makes you feel small when you can see so much more out there," Aquila said, slowly dragging his gaze across the horizon.

"How in the world did you find this place anyways?" Cassian asked, turning to face the older hunter.

"Did a bit of exploring a few years back. I've never seen a spot like this anywhere else, and how these crazy plants manage to survive up here, I'll never know. What I do know is that it's spots like this that are worth sharing. Cass, Ilia, both of your parents have been up here before, y'know. Of course, that was years ago… You were both barely up to my hip at that point.

"But I guess I should get onto why I dragged the four of you all the way out here. As I'm sure you're all aware- and if you aren't, then I'm deeply concerned for you- the Hunter's Exam is coming up. You'll be on your way to Loc Lac within a few days, and if all goes well you'll become registered hunters. Yes, that's right, you won't need me to accompany you on every little hunt you go on anymore."

"Thank the gods for that," Cass mumbled, earning a short snicker from the others.

"Ahem. Anyways, that also means that your lessons here in Moga are officially over. You aren't students anymore, even if you still have a lot to learn. That's something we all have to do, no matter how much experience we have. But, these aren't lessons you can learn from me or anyone else. They're lessons that the world will teach you as you live your lives. Take a look at that sunrise. What do you think it's teaching you?"

"We shouldn't always sleep in?"

"Morning exercise is just as bad as it sounds?"

"Don't stare at it for too long or you'll go blind?"

"Remember to pack rations the night before so when someone drags you out of bed at four in the morning you aren't starving?"

"Good answers, but no. This sun rise teaches you that no matter how much pain and strife you go through, no matter how exhausted and tired you may get… There's always something to look forward to. It's up to you to find that thing for yourselves."

The apprentices were quiet for a time, staring intently at the view before them as the sun continued to rise, the sky shifting from an orange tone to a lighter blue.

"I guess that's one more lesson you had for us, ain't it?" Cass remarked after a few moments.

"Heh, I suppose you're right. Still, I consider you all as graduates of the Moga Hunting Academy who are fully qualified to partake in this year's exam. So enjoy yourselves! Take the next few days off, rest up, and make sure you don't fail that test, 'cause if you do, I'll have to kick your asses. And your parents will give me a hard time too, but hey, they do that enough as is."

"Don't worry about us, we'll be fine!" the bowgunner reassured. "Not like we haven't been learning at all, right?"

"And we'll be sure to watch out for each other too," Jango added. "Gotta make sure no one gets an arm chomped off during the exam too."

"I swear, you will never let me live that down, will you?" Cass sighed. "No one lost a limb! That Ludroth was just as surprised as I was!"

"Cassian shoving his fist down a monster's throat aside, we'll pass the exam, Teach," Aquila said, clenching his fist reassuringly. "We'll make you proud."

"You damn well better, since I'll be watching you from the stands."

"Wait, what? I thought you said-"

"Rules have changed over the years, kid. So long as I don't actually supply you with any rigged equipment or interfere with the fight, I can watch. So yes, I'll be heading to Loc Lac with the rest of you."

"Awesome!" the four exclaimed triumphantly, throwing fists into the air at the news. York let out a short laugh at the sight.

"Say, Teach, I got a quick question for you," Cassian remarked as the others calmed down. "Since you were going on about our parents being here and us being here now, that means Wes has been here too, right?"

"Yes, actually. I took him up here a few years ago. There was a slight incident involving a Crimson Qurupeco too, but it wasn't that big of a problem. Why do you ask?"

"Have you heard back from him yet? He doing alright?"

"Ah, I suppose I forgot to mention that he woke up earlier this week. I got a letter from him yesterday; he's doing pretty well, all things considered."

"Do you think he might want to come and watch the exam?" Ilia asked abruptly, cutting the great sword user off just before he was about to ask the same.

"I don't know. Depends on if he gets called off on an assignment that day or not, but we'll be in the city a few days ahead of time, so I can definitely ask him."

"Good, cuz if he isn't there then I'm gonna have to clobber him!" Cassian grinned. "We went to see his after all, so it's only fair he gets to see that we've come just as far."

"And while we're at it, I should ask my brother if he can come watch too," Aquila added, his expression brightening. "I haven't seen him in a long time, and I know this will be the perfect chance for him to see me in action!"

"Hah! I'm sure you all will have at least one person in the crowd who'll be proud to see you tear whatever monster they throw at you a new one," York said. "Just make sure you give it your all, and remember what you learned. Hell, try something new if you can! Show them why you deserve those hunting licenses!"

"You got it, Teach! But can we head back now? We're kinda starving…"

"Why do you think I let you kids win? Rose has a big meal waiting for us back at my place, so let's not keep her waiting, eh?"

The dual blade wielder laughed as the apprentices immediately took off running back the way they came, the thought of Rose's cooking being more than enough to invigorate them. He spared one last glance at the rising sun, smiling lightly before following after the students, feeling as though another chapter of his life was coming to a close.

* * *

**Tomahawk Notes: Please review! So, not as much action this time around, but after the Volcano fights, can you blame me? Gotta get that exposition in there somehow! Needless to say, there were a lot of hints dropped about a lot of things this chapter. I've been reading a lot of video game and manga theories online lately, so I figured I may as well do everything I can to start making the readers develop a few of their own. Muhaha.**

**Finally got around to introducing the Zealot this chapter! Remember that little mention a few chapters ago about it? Well, here it is! I got most of my ideas for the armor from Gray Fox's exoskeleton from Metal Gear Solid, along with a few ideas taken from a couple helmets from Halo (like the GUNGNR helmet). So, yes, there's now a veritable cyborg ninja in Monster Hunter. That's about as crazy as I'm willing to get in terms of technology (no laser guns, sorry), though I still have plenty of neat ideas I plan to use. Rest assured though, nothing will surpass technology capable of raising the dead. Now that I think about it though, maybe I should do a zombie apocalypse supplementary chapter... **

**So, big news on my end. I recently got a New 3DS XL, which I was hoping would greatly enhance my Monster Hunting experience. Well, it has, since the bigger screen and camera nub are pretty amazing, but it came with the unfortunate side effect of deleting all of my progress during the system transfer. So, I pretty much had to cut my losses and start all over again at HR 1. I've gotten back up to High Rank already (and I'm currently rocking a nifty Ranger Set from arena hunts) but it'll be a looooong time before I'm back up to my HR 175 glory days. The recession hits everybody, y'know?**

**Playing: MH4U (My Palico no longer looks like Dante and it sucks), SSB4 3Ds/Wii U, TLoZ: Skyward Sword (replaying for the first time in years. Forgot how much I loved this game), DmC: Devil May Cry Definitive Edition**

**Watching: the grass grow**

**Reading: The Lost Civilization: Shadows of the Past by dashboardgecko, Incarnations of a hunter by KingStonecold**

**Listening to: Pierce the Veil, Avenged Sevenfold, whatever random songs I find in youtube AMV's (personal favorite find is the translated "Bad Apple")**


	24. Signs of Trust

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 24- Signs of Trust

Wes awoke with a start, his head throbbing dully and his chest stinging badly, as though it had been burnt. His breath quickening a little, the dual blade wielder glanced down; a small blue rag had fallen from his chest and landed on the sheets, which he instinctively picked up to examine. A quick whiff of the cloth revealed that it had been soaked in Nulberry extract. Puzzled, the hunter glanced down at his torso, wincing a little at the sight and recalling the bright red wound from the night before.

Fortunately, it seemed like the rag had soothed the burn quite well, though it had begun to sting more now that the cloth was gone. Most of the redness had faded, though the hunter was left with a noticeable scar across most of his torso: a large patch in the center, with several jagged branches running along various parts of his abdomen and shoulders. It looked awful, though he hoped that with time the scar might fade.

_At least it didn't kill me. That blast completely ruined my armor. _The dual sword user glanced over at the floor, expecting to see the small pile that was his armor, though he raised an eyebrow in surprise when it wasn't there. Come to think of it, he wasn't even in his room! This was one of the rooms in the medical ward!

_How'd I get here? I thought-_

_Saph probably took you here after you passed out, _Silver said, drawing a sigh from the hunter with his presence. _Good thing she had enough common sense to do that too; it was stupid to think you were fine without getting a check-up. _

_Hey, I thought it was your job to make sure I didn't do stupid things._

_Considering you were half delirious from so many potions and your wounds, getting you to form coherent sentences for Balestra was hard enough. Hell, by the time you got to your room I couldn't even convince you that the sky was blue! You kept replying 'no, it's magenta, just like breakfast at noon'. It was weird, man._

…_I wasn't speaking this stuff out loud, right?_

_You're welcome._

_Right... Anyways, what should we do about the armor situation? Last I recall, my set was ruined._

_Whaddya mean 'we'? I can't go and buy your armor for you._

_You know full well what I mean, jackass. Any suggestions on what to do? Think Pa could fix the old one if we sent it back to him? I hate to get rid of it like that, but there's no way I'll get any use out of it now…_

_Meh, it was about time for a costume change anyways, _Silver said. _You can only wear the same thing for so long before it starts getting old._

_And that doesn't apply to everyone else too? Viper has four copies of the same set specifically so he doesn't have to change it up!_

_Are you Viper? Because if so, I think I'm in the wrong person's head. _

_Silver, focus. Armor sets. So I can, y'know, not die next time I go out?_

_Alright, alright. I'd say something similar to the old one in style, but maybe a bit more armored. You can't risk any heavy hits, so some actual plating might help prevent you getting creamed in two hits. I'd recommend you still keep it light, though. And make sure it has a hood! _

_I was just about to say that, actually. Glad we can at least agree on style, eh?_

_There are more important things to agree on than appearance, but yes._

The hunter turned his gaze to the side as someone lightly rapped on the door. A younger nurse opened the door slightly to peek inside at first, but upon realizing he was awake she pushed it open fully and stepped inside.

"I didn't think you'd be up this soon," she said, coming to a stop at the foot of the hunter's bed. "I was half expecting you to fall into another coma to be honest. Guess you didn't take any serious knocks to the head this time, huh?"

"No, no... Made sure to keep that part of me as safe as I could this time," Wes replied. "I... how long have I been out?"

"Just one night. Doctor Connor said it would normally have been at least three, but that you weren't one to stay down that long."

"Wait, really? Did he actually say that?"

"Something along those lines, yeah. He said it must run in your family, I think, but that's beside the point. How are you feeling right now? Lingering aches, pains, nausea?"

"My chest kinda burns, but nothing else really feels that bad."

"I'll see about getting you some bandages to help cover it up. The ice crystal woven gauze works wonders on burns, after all. Would you like something to eat too?"

"Yes, please."

A short while later, Wes was finishing up the last few scraps of his meal, his chest now bound in a few layers of light blue bandages. Setting the tray to the side, the blue- and green-eyed hunter made to push himself up to his feet, while the nurse stood close by in case he needed a hand. He was able to support himself, and after doing a few stretches at the woman's instruction to see if his physical condition was as good as he said, she told him he could leave when he wanted to, though he should refrain from any strenuous exercises until the wound was healed.

"So about a week or so then?" he asked, pulling his shirt on over his head and fixing the sleeves.

"Give or take a day or so, yes. The dragon blight is completely out of your system -as it should be, thankfully- but you don't want that burn opening up or anything."

"Alright, guess I'll just have to settle for light workouts then... One more thing. A few of my teammates from the other day should've come in. Katrina and Harlin? Do you know where I could find them?"

"Certainly! Katrina's the third door on the left, and Harlin should be the last door on the right. They were both awake when I checked in on them last, so it should be alright if you want to see them before you go."

"Thanks, I appreciate it," the hunter said with a quick smile. The nurse bowed quickly before stepping out of the room, presumably to continue checking in on the others.

_Hey, look at you, finally getting around to being a good friend! I'm so proud of you._

_Gods, I could practically taste the sarcasm in that one. Do you come up with these on the spot, or do you put some thought into them beforehand?_

_This is coming from the guy who practices his one liners in front of a mirror?_

…_You win this round._

_Always do._

Following the instructions the nurse told him, the hunter exited his room and approached the door to Kat's room. Seeing the door was already opened, he knocked against the frame twice before poking his head into view.

"Hey Kat, how're you doing?"

"Oh, Wes! I didn't think you'd stop by so soon!" the long sword user said, seating herself upright on her bed. She was bandaged in several areas, mostly on her left arm, but she seemed to have recovered fairly well since the night before. One of her legs was propped up underneath the blankets, though. "I'm doing alright, but what about you? You were pretty beat up when we got back too…"

"I'll live, just a few scratches here and there. And a ruined armor set…" he mumbled to the side before turning back to the huntress. "But yeah, no problems on my end. It was one hell of a fight though."

"Tell me about it, that guy was nuts! It was hard enough fighting Hades in the town, but I was not expecting things to turn out like that."

"I don't think any of us were," he agreed with a short shrug. "And, uh, by the way, Balestra wants us to keep a lid on the whole thing…"

"I figured as much," the huntress sighed, resting the back of her head in her hands. "Well, I'll be in here for a few days, so it's not like I can go around spreading rumors. One of those Rhenoplos got my leg pretty good. If only I'd had my sword…"

"Speaking of that, did you want me to take the rest of the pieces to a smith for you? I was planning on going to the smithing district later anyways, so I could find someone to repair it for you."

"Aww, that'd be sweet! My sword is on the wall over there. Thanks a lot, Wes!"

"No problem," he replied, stepping inside and grabbing hold of the blade, strapping it over his shoulder as the metal shards clattered about within the scabbard. Bidding the huntress a short good-bye, but promising to stop by again later, Wes left her room and made his way back towards Harlin's, turning himself sideways to keep either end of the weapon from bashing against the walls. As he neared the switch axe wielder's room, though, he saw the door open and a white-garbed man step out.

"Ah, Wes! This is a pleasant surprise," Connor stated, glancing up from the clipboard he was writing on. "If you are on your feet and out of your room, I take it Miss Heather must have already looked you over?"

"Yeah, but I didn't exactly catch her name... I'm feeling alright, all things considered."

"I know you and your father both are remarkably fast healers, but I would advise you not to get in over your head. I'm going to call you back in at a later date for an examination, just to be on the safe side. I would do it now, but it seems Dustin's back injury has been causing him some grief as of late, and I must see to him. I will inform Sir Balestra that you are not to partake in any hunts for the time being."

"Yeah, I've been over this with the nurse already. No offense."

"I take none, I just wish to be as thorough as possible. Ah, but I suppose you are here to see Harlin? Your friend is well, though he has a few broken bones from the encounter with the Rhenoplos herd, so he will be resting here for some time. Still, I will not steal any words from his lips. You may visit him if you wish. Now, forgive me for my hastiness, but I really must be getting to my next appointment."

"I won't keep you in that case," Wes stated, stepping to the side to allow the man past him. After a quick good-bye, the hunter stepped into Harlin's room.

"Well, look what the Zinogre dragged in! How you holdin' up, Wes?" the switch axe user asked, raising his non-bandaged arm in a welcoming gesture. The rest of his limbs were bandaged to some degree, mainly his left arm and right leg, and he had a few noticeable bruises here and there as well. He was in worse shape than Kat was, that was for certain.

"Fine, I guess. Good enough to walk, at least. Those Rhenoplos definitely got you good, huh?"

"Unfortunately, I'm not exactly as light on my feet as the rest of you are. I handled one or two of them, but the third one managed to get me in the back. The rest just kinda stepped on me. Glad my armor survived enough of the fight before to withstand that punishment. I'm gonna need a new set though… That one isn't salvageable."

Wes turned his gaze to the corner where Harlin pointed at, seeing the pile of pale materials lying there. Wes could hardly tell vambraces from greaves, and the pauldrons were smashed to pieces. Everything looked dented and broken in some way, that much he could see.

"Yeesh, I guess you got it worse than I did," Wes remarked. "Mine just had that tear across the chest. I mean, it's pretty much fallen apart now, but still."

"At least it did its job; armor's meant to make sure the wearer doesn't get killed when they get hit. Sure, I'm beat up, but those Ceadeus parts damn well saved my life. Shame I gotta pitch 'em now though… Say, ain't that Kat's sword on your back?"

"Yeah, I was going to take it into the city and leave it with someone to repair it for her."

"Ah, perfect! Mind doing me a solid and taking this order to the Wyvern Heart Forge? I'd been looking into a set there for a while, and I think now would be the perfect time to get a replacement. Problem is… Well, I can't exactly walk there."

"I can do that. Maybe I can find a set for myself while I'm there," Wes answered, approaching the man and picking up the form on the table beside him. "Wait a minute. Why do you have this in here? Doesn't it make more sense to keep a thing like this in your room or something?"

"I guess, but I just like to keep important things close at hand, y'know?"

"Eh, I guess it doesn't matter anyways. I'll drop it off for you, no problem. I think I'll head back to HQ and get myself pulled together before that, though. I still smell like a volcano."

"Hah, pretty sure we all do, man," Harlin chuckled. "Alright, I'll see you around then."

"See you... Wait, one more thing; Balestra wants the whole part about the inside of the volcano on the down low, so don't try to spread any crazy stories about something that may or may not have happened involving a certain Stygian Zinogre, okay?"

"Man, I'm still trying to wrap my head around that. If anything, I think I'd just like to forget about it. Big man up top's got nothing to worry about from me."

The dual blade wielder nodded and waved before heading out of Harlin's room, breathing a short sigh of relief that his comrades were alright.

_That wasn't so bad I guess. Feels good being on the better half of a hospital visit this time around, _the hunter thought as he made his way towards the exit. _Still, I'm kinda surprised you didn't try to pipe in and give me shit about something, Silver._

_Oh, trust me, I really wanted to, but I figured I'd let things play out this time and see how it turned out. Fortunately you aren't a complete moron, so you actually came off as a well-intentioned friend rather than a self-serving jackass. So props to you._

_Told ya I'd get the hang of this._

_Don't recall that, but whatever. Still, now you got a couple of side quests to handle too, so try not to dawdle in the shower for an hour like you usually do._

_Okay, that's more your fault now than anything. Maybe if someone didn't feel like talking to me every second I'm alone, I'd be a bit quicker. _

_Let's be realistic here; no, you wouldn't._

_Meh. Wait a minute, what's a side quest?_

_You know when you have something bigger to take care of, but then there's a bunch of little distractions that serve only to amuse you and potentially get you something beneficial at the end of it? That's a side quest._

_These aren't related to those mini game things you were talking about, are they?_

_Indeed they are. _

_Jeez, for an extension of my mind you really know a lot of weird junk that I never paid attention to._

_I'll take that as a compliment._

As Wes stepped out of the medical ward, the hunter was surprised to see the number of Corps members around the training grounds. Usually the numbers were far lower, since various teams were out on jobs throughout the day, but Wes could see that all of the airships were still there. It seemed like most of the hunters in the Master Corps were right there. Confused, the hunter made his way towards the crowd to see what all the commotion was about. He had a hard time piecing anything together based on what he could hear the others talking about, though he did spot a familiar face after a moment.

"Hey, Ishmael! Long time no see," the blonde-haired hunter said, waving at the Gigginox-clad man and making his way towards the hunter. The hooded man spared a glance to the side upon hearing his name, and Wes noticed his expression darken a little. Even then, the hunter he had been conversing with moved away, and Ishamel turned to face the blue- and green-eyed man as he neared.

"I suppose it has been," the robed hunter responded. "I heard you left on a late hunt yesterday. Did it go well?"

"Eh… About as well as it could, all things considered," Wes mumbled. He knew he couldn't bring up the topic of Hades, so he was hoping Ishmael wouldn't try to pry too far into it. Fortunately, the brown-haired man didn't seem to be very interested in the assignment. "Do you have any idea what's going on around here? Why isn't anyone out on a job?"

"No one knows. Balestra hasn't called anyone in or issued any contracts, so we're all stuck here wondering why. No one has seen him either. A few of us cornered Trance, and he said something about a big meeting with the city council, but otherwise none of us have any idea."

"Huh… That's strange. Balestra never misses a day… Any ideas on what that meeting is about?"

"Plenty of us are trying to brainstorm what's going on, but so far we haven't made any concrete guesses," Ishmael sighed, crossing his arms. "The only thing that makes sense to me is that the entire Master Corps needs to be in the city, hence why we're all stuck in Loc Lac."

"Has anyone been able to leave the district to join another hunt?"

"No one's tried to, but a few people have gone into the city proper. We aren't stuck in the training yard, but we don't really know what's going on or what else to do."

"Hmm… I suppose we better just wait and see then," Wes concluded. Ishmael nodded in agreement a moment later, but otherwise kept quiet, which slightly uneased the hunter. A short quip from Silver made him realize why the hooded man was acting so distant, though. "And, uh, one other thing. I know I didn't really bring this up before, but… I'm sorry about Curt. We didn't see eye to eye… ever… but I know he was your brother, and it's gotta hurt a lot to have lost him like that. And even if he was always kind of a jerk to me, he did save my life, so… I'm sorry I didn't tell you that before."

The Gigginox-clad man was silent for a few moments before speaking up. "It doesn't make it better, but I... _appreciate_ the apology, Wes. Thanks for that."

"No problem, man. Well, I'm going to head into town and look into a new armor set, but take it easy, alright? It's not often that we get a break, even if it's a situation as strange as this."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. I'll see you around."

The blonde-haired hunter waved at the man as he continued on towards HQ, leaving the commotion of the training yard behind him.

* * *

After showering and dressing, Wes gathered up a few things he'd need for his trip into the city and placed them into his bag. Slinging the pouch over his shoulder, the hunter reattached Kat's longsword to his back; the blade was currently wrapped up in a long strand of cloth, keeping the handle from slipping out of the sheath. After double checking to make sure he had his wallet and Harlin's order, the blue- and green-eyed hunter stepped into the hallway, immediately bumping into Sapphire as he shut the door behind him.

"Oof! Well, that's one way to say hello!" the huntress laughed after stumbling back a step.

"Ah, sorry about that, Saph, I didn't see you there," he replied, awkwardly scratching the back of his head as he turned to face her.

"It happens, no need to worry about it! Are you feeling any better? Sorry if you were mad waking up in the medical ward, you just looked really bad, so…"

"It's fine, really, I actually appreciate that. It was stupid of me not to go there in the first place, to be honest. Anyways, what were you up to earlier?"

"Oh, nothing really, just a quick group meeting with the others. Y'know, team stuff," the huntress replied. "Were you planning on heading into town?"

"That was the idea, yeah. I got a few, uh, side quests to do, and I needed to look into some new armor as well. You want to come along? I could use the company."

"I'd love to! Just lemme grab a few things out of my room and I'll be right there!"

The blue-haired huntress darted into her room then, leaving the dual blade wielder out in the hall on his own. He looked up as he heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs, and a moment later, Snow stepped into view.

"Oh, Wes! Perfect timing. Can I talk to you about something? It's kind of important."

"Hey Snow. Sure, I can spare a second, I guess. What's up?"

"Uhm, could we maybe talk in your room? I'd like this to be private."

"Er, well, I was going to head into the city with Saph… Would it take long? We were just about to leave."

"Hmm... It might take a while, yeah. I won't keep you, but could you stop by my room after you get back?"

"Yeah, but do you mind telling me what it's abo-"

Before the conversation could continue, Sapphire's door flung open, and the huntress stepped out to join them, a small bag hanging at her side.

"Alright, I'm all set to go!" she said cheerfully, though her tone changed slightly as she caught sight of Snow beside him. "Oh, hey Snow! Are… you coming too?"

"No, I just came by to ask Wes something," Snow replied quickly. "You two have fun, alright? And Wes, you promise we can talk after you get back?"

"Yeah, sure thing, Snow. See you around," the dual blade wielder replied, waving at the huntress as she departed their floor.

"What was that about?" Saph asked after the white-haired woman disappeared from view.

"I have no idea. Hopefully nothing bad though, right?"

"Uh huh… Anyways, let's get a move on! Sooner we get out there, the sooner we can get that armor of yours!"

Wes yelped in surprise as the blue-haired huntress abruptly took hold of his wrist, pulling him along behind her as they made their way out of the building. It wasn't until they were well out of the Corps district and on their way towards the smithing district that she finally released her grasp on his arm.

_Jeez, what's gotten into her? _Wes wondered, rubbing the mark Sapphire's hand left on his wrist as they walked along.

_Jealousy, probably, _Silver responded.

_Jealousy? Who would she be jealous of?_

_Seriously? Who's the one other female you associate with on a regular basis?_

_You mean Snow? I'm not sure I follow._

_We both know you aren't that dense. Sapphire likes you, but she thinks Snow is interested in you as well, and that just complicates things._

_But Snow said she wasn't interested! _

_Does Sapphire know that? All she sees is you two spending a lot of time together, laughing, and paying visits into each other's rooms._

…_Good point. Think I should tell her?_

_She'd probably take that as you wanting her to ask you out or something. You really want that?_

_Er… Well, no… I mean, it's not like I _don't _like her, because I do, but… Well, I'm awful with this stuff, y'know?_

_Trust me, no one knows that better than I do. Just make sure you're comfortable with yourself before attempting it, alright? Last thing I need is another split personality forming because of a broken heart. _

"Hey, Wes? You kinda look like you're zoning out again…"

"Muh? Oh, sorry about that, I was just, uh, thinking about something. So, what were you saying?"

"I was talking about how busy Loc Lac seems today. Have you noticed how many people are out?" she asked, glancing around the street.

"Well, the training yard was kind of packed, but I guess you're right." The hunter looked about, seeing several hunters in the crowds, but it seemed like there were far more civilians out than normal. In fact, it almost seemed like the civilians outnumbered the hunters, which was never something he'd seen in the hunting capital before. "There're a lot more people out than usual… I wonder what the occasion is?"

"I heard there were a lot of problems with financing in the city lately. Apparently the gold-zenni transition wasn't as smooth as people thought it would be. Then there's all the crimes that have been happening…"

"Wait, what? What crimes?"

"There have been lots of burglaries in the south-western district, lots of arrests over fights breaking out… I heard there were even a few murders!"

"Jeez, and all because of the economy? I mean, hunting still seems just as profitable as always. Corps salaries are up there too. Hell, I've barely even noticed a problem this big before. A few petty crimes, sure, but people are seriously killing each other now?"

"It's... something I only just started seeing. Lots of people are angry about being underpaid and feel the Guild and the Council should do more to fix things, but there hasn't been much word about it for a long while, so that's what I think is going on, at least."

"I hope Viper hasn't been going out trying to stop these things," Wes mumbled. "Have you noticed him going out or anything?"

"No, not anymore. He _tried _to help out one time, and he actually helped catch the guy, but the officers told him not to get involved again for some reason. I think he said it was because of a bar fight he was involved with? He was kind of angry about it, but he's been good about it at least."

"Man, seems we just can't catch a break from that…"

The pair continued down the street, weaving through the crowds of people and making small talk. Along the way, Wes was able to locate a smith from the Minegarde region who would be able to repair Kat's long sword, and left the blade with him. Having the large object off of his back was a huge relief, not because of its weight, but rather because it was so long he'd keep clipping people's ankles with the bottom or grazing heads with the handle. That was one perk to dual swords: they didn't take up that much space, let alone randomly trip people in the street.

A short while later, the pair came to a stop outside the armory listed on Harlin's form, the Wyvern Heart Forge. The building was rather ornate, with freshly painted red and gold signs on the grey façade and tall half-pillars on either side of the entrance. It looked like the building was trying to emulate a castle, which made it really stand out from the rest of the buildings around it. Wes recalled seeing a few advertisements for the place around Loc Lac, but he'd never visited before. By the looks of it, neither had Sapphire.

"Harlin got his armor here?" she asked, mouth agape at the impressive facility before them. "It looks really high-end."

"Just what I need," the dual blade wielder replied, entering the armory followed by Sapphire.

The inside was rather impressive as well: mannequins garbed in high-end armor were on raised displays throughout the store, and vibrant red carpets with golden tassels ran between them. Various paintings and assorted weapons covered the walls as well, purely for decoration by the looks of it. The exposed parts of the walls and floor were the same grey as the front of the building, giving the place a palace-esque feel to it.

"Seems they really like the castle look, huh?" the blue-haired huntress noted, glancing around energetically. "I wouldn't even guess it was a store at first glance!"

"Me neither. Well, let's find someone who works here and drop off Harlin's order. I get the feeling it won't be too hard to find a person to help out… The uniforms are probably just as flashy as the building."

Sure enough, they were. Heading further into the store, Wes noticed a man with a large plumed hat seated behind a counter with a rather bored expression. He was garbed in a mostly black and white outfit, with poofy sleeves ending just above the wrist and a tight collar. Wes almost felt bad for the man; the outfit –which seemed more like a costume for a play than a uniform- looked practically suffocating to wear. Nonetheless, the hunter approached him, form in hand.

"Welcome to the Wyvern Heart Forge and Armory," the man greeted unenthusiastically, making a very feeble attempt to lift his expression from the pamphlet he was reading. "What can I help you with?"

"Two things for me, thanks. I have an order for a friend, and I'd like to look into a new suit of armor for myself."

"You can leave the form with me, and I'll get it to our smith. Eventually. As for armors, they're sold based on hunter rank. Low rank sets on the left, High in the middle, and G on the right. Simple enough, yeah? You need anything, just ask anyone in uniform. They would be _thrilled _to help."

"Er… Thanks."

Wes and Sapphire made their way towards the section on the right, glancing between each other awkwardly as the man returned his gaze to his magazine.

"Guess they aren't big on employee benefits," Wes murmured low enough for only Saph to hear. "I've had friendlier service from an overworked waiter."

"Maybe it's just been a long day? Not every job can be as exciting as ours."

"Makes sense to me," he replied, returning his gaze to the armor sets around them. "Still, makes you wonder if-"

The hunter's words came to a halt immediately as he caught sight of an armor set at the end of the row. He stopped in his tracks as his gaze centered on it, catching Sapphire off guard with his sudden stop.

"Wonder what? Did you see something?" she asked, glancing up at him questioningly and trying to follow his gaze. Wes wordlessly made his way towards the mannequin, feeling as though the suit was almost calling to him. He came to a stop before the display, the sword and shield user right on his tail.

The set itself was comprised of several parts. The most underlying layer was a royal blue coat trimmed with gold. Similar to the uniforms of Guild officers and knights, the coat tails curved towards the back wrapping around the waist and upper legs and ending above the ankles. A trio of brown leather belts were wrapped around the waist, thick silver buckles adorning them. A gold-handled rapier with a black and gold scabbard was strapped to the loose fitting one. The legs were covered by a pair of segmented greaves, greyish-blue in color. Red lining jutted out just above the top plates. The upper body was covered by a similarly collared metal vest with white fur trim, beneath which was a red shield insignia. The shoulders were covered in segmented pauldrons, painted blue and gold in a similar manner to the cloth layer below. The vambraces that covered the arms were similar to the greaves in color, and the red trim jutted out around the back of the metallic gloves on the mannequin's hands. The set seemed to give off an air of skill and command.

"Wes?"

"This is it. This is exactly the set I was looking for! Look at it!"

"I'm looking at it, and it looks impressive, but how are you sure this is the one you want? There are plenty of other-"

"Just look at the angle of the plates! The sheen of the polish! That's really high quality metal! But at the same time, it's conservative with the plating and maintains a perfect balance of weight to thickness…The materials look really flexible, probably for increased mobility and comfort… The color's nice too, but this is really high end gear! Like, really, really high end!"

"Wow, I don't think I've ever seen you this excited over anything before. And you can tell all of this just by looking at it?"

"I've done a little research into armor too. Not as much as weapons, but there are a few small things that carry over. I wish I knew more about it though. I could probably go on about this set even more if I did. Now I just need to find someone to help get this…"

"Something I can help you with?"

Wes jumped in surprise, turning around to face his addressor. She was a younger woman with shoulder length black hair and grey eyes. She wore a similar outfit to the guy behind the stand, though instead of the black tights and boots he wore she had a black skirt and tall white socks.

"Uh, yeah, I was looking into this set here…"

"Ah, the Ace set? That's a real rarity around here. We had it imported from Jaagezuela just last month. The plates are made up of some really tough metals, and there are actually chain links inside the cloth in a few places for added protection. The straps are all hidden to prevent getting caught on something in a fight, and the belts are a thicker leather meant to carry heavier pouches more easily. You'd be hard pressed to find another set like this in Venatoria, that's for sure!"

"Ace armor, huh… How much for this?"

"Well, this set won't come cheap, but I can't just go and give a random guy permission to buy a suit like this! It's reserved for top-line G-Rank hunters only. Why do you think it hasn't been sold since we first got it? We can't just have new hunters running around in sets this strong without earning it! I'm going to need to see your Guild Card to verify your rank."

"Oh, that's not a problem," Wes replied, procuring his Guild Card from his bag and showing it to the woman. "This should be good enough for you, right?"

"…You're a member of the Master Corps? I-I apologize, Sir, I didn't realize you were t-that high of a rank. I can get this r-ready for you in just a moment."

"That'd be great, thanks."

The hunters stepped back while the woman went to remove the armor from the mannequin for Wes to try on. Wes couldn't help but feel a child-like grin creep onto his lips as he gazed at each individual piece of the set, admiring every detail of the suit, no matter how small. It seemed like almost everything the set had was suited to his style specifically; there couldn't have been a more perfect set for him in all of Loc Lac. He still spared a few looks around at the other sets as well, but they all seemed too heavy and clunky for what he was used to.

"Talk about a lucky find, right?" Saph noted as the woman took a few parts of the armor over to a dressing room. "Still, isn't it kinda weird how her tone changed after she saw you Guild card? It almost seemed like she was nervous or something."

"Huh? I didn't really notice that. Maybe she was just surprised? The officers that I checked in with back in Moga said it was surprising I was in the Corps because of my age, so maybe she thought I was a new hunter? Can't say the civvy clothes really help the image."

"That could be it. It just seems weird; I noticed the same thing happen when I showed my Guild card to a few hunters at the tavern a few days ago. They got really pale and started stammering like it was an interrogation. I mean, sure, the Master Corps is really well known and all, but it just seems like people are more afraid of us now than they are respectful."

"I don't really follow, Saph. Why would they be afraid of us? It's not like Corps members go around bullying people, right? Balestra wouldn't have any of that crap. And even if they did, it's not like I've ever gone around deliberately twisting people's arms before."

"Excuse me, I-I've gotten the armor moved into the room over there," the attendant stated, drawing their attention towards the dressing room door. "You can try it on, but if you are going to purchase the set you'll need to be measured for it to fit properly. Should I request someone come and do so?"

"Sure, that'd be great, thanks," Wes replied. "Saph, I might be a while. Do you want to wait, or what?"

"I can- oh, wait… Ruby said she wanted me and the others to get together again this afternoon. She's been calling a lot of meetings lately for some reason. Sorry I need to bail out now, but let me know how it goes, alright?"

"It's cool, I'll see you around."

Wes looked after the huntress for a moment as she departed before heading into the fitting room, shutting the door behind him. Each piece was laid out in front of him on a wide table, leading the dual blade wielder to glance between them like a child at a candy store.

_Gotta admit, she was right about this being a lucky find, _he thought, picking up one of the metallic pauldrons. He marveled at how light, yet incredibly durable the metal plates were. _And they said it was… Jaagezuelian, right? Man, they definitely know how to make their armors over there. Hell, Pa'd be impressed with this!_

_Kinda sucks that it doesn't come with a hood. Or any head covering, for that manner, _Silver mused. _Wait, why did she bring the wig the mannequin was wearing in? _

_Not sure. Maybe it's a part of the set? Yeesh, what's with the weird sweep it has? Are they trying to market this as a piece of armor?!_

_Armor grade wigs. Welp, that's a new one for me._

_Maybe I can ask if this thing came with any materials that they could make into a hood for me… It'd make sense for there to be a little excess to help with repairs, right? I'm not going into battle without at least a little head protection, but I'm not going to look like a clown either. I have some dignity._

_Need I remind you about the mirror thing?_

_Hey Silver? Can you kindly shut up? I'm trying to enjoy my soon-to-be owned armor set._

_Whatever you say, bigshot._

It took about fifteen minutes for him to garb himself in the dark blue armor, as he was more used to his older set. The metallic greaves and vambraces were the most troublesome, if only because he was so used to simply having to pull his arm through a sleeve before. Still, after tightening the last strap, the hunter had to admit that he felt his body was much more protected than it had been previously. Good thing, too, as he'd barely lasted a few hits against Hades. Some added defense was definitely a necessity, at least for the time being.

The sound of a knock on the door drew his attention towards the entrance of the room, but before he could even reply the door flung open, revealing a shorter woman wearing the same uniform as the other employees. She had longer brown hair and hazel eyes, and unlike the other employees who worked at the armory, she had a very bright expression, accompanied by a rather sly smirk. Wes wasn't sure why, but the mere sight of the woman immediately made him nervous- and not the typical nervous-around-girls kind either.

"So, you're our Mr. Ace then? Pleasure to meet you, my name's Caedlyn!" she greeted, stepping inside and firmly shaking his hand. "I'm gonna be the one who gets you fitted today!"

"…Muh? You? Er… No offense, but aren't you a little young to be doing this sort of thing?"

"Oh please, I'm more than qualified to do this, Mr. Ace! And for the record, I'm twenty-four."

_Twenty-four?! She looks like she's barely sixteen!_

_I guess that whole 'everyone ages differently' thing really is true, huh?_

"And besides," she continued, procuring a length of yellow string from the small pouch she carried, "this is a family business! My dad's been doing this for more than thirty years! Trust me, I know exactly what I'm doing."

"Eh… Okay?"

"Right then, I'm going to need your measurements first, so it's time you got all that armor off!"

"W-what?! Can't I just, I dunno, give you the measurements from my last set?"

"Nope! Rule number thirty-two of armor fitting: always make sure measurements are up to date! Now c'mon tough guy, time to strip."

_Gods above, what have I gotten myself into…_

* * *

It wouldn't be until about two hours later that Wes finally stepped out of the Wyvern Heart Forge, his face heated in embarrassment. Caedlyn had been very… _thorough _with her measurements, and combined with his own awkwardness of standing in front of a woman wearing nothing but his small clothes, the hunter couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief as he departed the building. While it had cost him a little extra on top of the massive payment the armor had required, it would be delivered to the Corps HQ for him by the end of the week, customizations included.

_I swear, I am never going back there again._

_Hahahah! Ah man, that was hilarious! And you thought they were nervous about you being in the Master Corps? Haaah… That's a rich dose of irony right there. _

_S-shut it! Don't remind me! Gods, this may very well be more traumatizing than the Tower…_

_So should I be expecting a twin brother, or what? If so, try and make sure he has hair like yours. Then he can be named Gold! And if you get your heart broken, the third one can be named Bronze. Hell, you could have a whole army of imaginary yous in here._

_Is it just me, or have you been getting more annoying with time? And weren't you supposed to be helping me out back there?!_

_It's not like I didn't do _anything. _Still, watching that all go down was definitely worth a good chuckle. _

_So, let me get this straight; you slacked off of your supposed job just to laugh at me?_

_Basically. _

_Man, you are literally the worst companion ever._

_At least I don't stop you every ten seconds to say "Hey" or "Listen". But seriously, you just gotta learn to go with it sometimes, Wes. Stop being such a hard ass about everything._

_Easier said than done, Mr. Imaginary Frenemy. You don't have to deal with this shit, I do. _

_And like I said, it's my job to make things easier for you. Let this be a lesson for you: sometimes, you just gotta relax._

_I can do that much easier when I'm not _standing almost completely naked in front of a perverted tailor_!_

_Again, learning experiences, Wes._

_Shut up._

The dual blade wielder let out an exhausted sigh as he continued down the street back towards HQ. It was later in the day than he had thought, and the sun was already dipping down into the horizon, casting the desert city in a harsh orange twilight. Knowing it would be dark before long, Wes picked up the pace, making his way back towards the Corps district at a brisk jog. As he made his way back, though, he found himself thinking about what Sapphire had said before.

_Y'know, she was right; it did almost seem like that woman was afraid when she saw my card. You got any ideas about why that may be, Silver?_

_Eh, hard to say right now. The way it used to work out was people fawning over you like a celebrity. We haven't seen this ourselves, but going off of what Saph told you, chances are something happened while you were out that we haven't learned about yet. _

_Think it might be related to the economy? Neither of them were really issues I noticed before, but they both seemed to pop up really suddenly…_

_Maybe, maybe not. It's hard to say without evidence. Plus, there doesn't really seem to be a correlation between them. People are angry about wages, and others are afraid of your status. _

_I can think of one that makes sense: my paycheck._

_Touché. Well, I'll help keep an eye out for anything that might relate to that. Keep us informed, yeah?_

_Keep up that pace and I might just take back the 'worst companion ever' remark._

It took about half an hour before the hunter finally made it back to HQ. He breathed a tired sigh as he slowed to a walk upon entering the gate. One of the first things he notice was that a few of the airships were missing, meaning Balestra must have returned and issued a few jobs. The training yard was mostly empty as well, though he attributed that more to the time of day than anything. The dual blade wielder entered the structure, greeting Sal as the liaison was packing up to head home for the night, and made his way up the stairs towards Snow's floor.

_What do you think she wants to talk about?_

_Again, hard to say. She seemed off earlier, and we already ruled out romance as an option. Maybe something happened to her or Frost? Who knows._

_Well, she did seem a little more serious than usual, but I don't think it's anything grave._

_You have got to be kidding me. When is Snow ever not cheerful and fun? Not counting hunts, she's almost always the same as usual._

_Maybe you're right about that. Guess we'll just have to find out then…_

Wes came to a stop by the huntress' door, rapping his knuckles against the wooden frame.

"Hey, Snow, you home? It's Wes-"

The hunter barely finished speaking before the door flung open and the white-haired woman grabbed hold of his wrist, pulling him inside of her room. The door quietly shut behind them as she dragged him further in, eventually letting go of his arm in the middle of the room.

"Yeesh, that was a little uncalled for," he noted, rubbing the second red mark that had formed on his wrist that day.

"Sorry, I just… yeah, I've been a little antsy today," Snow replied, biting her lower lip apprehensively. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No, I'm fine, just a mark. Sapphire did much worse earlier, I assure you."

"And armor searching was good?"

"…Let's not talk about that. But seriously, what's bugging you? I haven't seen you this nervous before, Snow. Kinda out of character for you."

"Yeah… Yeah, I guess it is. Whew… Alright, deep breath… Wes, you said that yesterday, the Stygian Zinogre you were hunting transformed into a person who could control dragon element, right?"

"Hades, yeah. Crazy bastard… I know it seems borderline impossible and all, but I know they were the same person! Er… entity, I guess. Thing? Whatever."

"Well, I guess I'll start by saying that I completely believe you," Snow said, letting out a short sigh. "When you barged into our meeting yesterday, Balestra was asking us about our hunt against the Silver Rathalos. I'm sure you remember this, but our hunt turned out pretty much the same way. The Rathalos was instead a man named Aodhan. He could control fire element, which meant throwing fireballs around, igniting himself, that sort of thing."

"Right, I remember the helmet on Balestra's desk," Wes noted. "I think he referred to them as Hybrids. You guys said you barely managed to beat him, yeah? I don't blame you; Hades nearly killed me and the others a dozen times over."

"That's not entirely true though…"

"…Whaddya mean?"

The hunter watched as Snow stepped over towards her nightstand, resting her head in her hand as though she were thinking of how to word her response. After a moment, she turned to face him again.

"We didn't really have a hard time. If anything, the fight was more of an… execution."

"An execution? That's a pretty strong word for it. Why would you say that?"

"Because that's the only way I can really describe it. Aodhan didn't want to fight us, but Frost and I… we thought that if he was out of the picture, it would cover our bases. For the most part, we were right… But then Hades appeared too. He attacked your team and made his presence known."

"Yeah, so? He's dead now too. He's not going to be telling anyone about this, if that's what you're worried about. But… why would you be worried about that?"

"Wes… Do you remember all those months ago? When we went out on our 'date'?"

"You mean when you tricked me into taking you out and buying you an expensive meal, right?"

"Please focus. Remember that story I told you? About my village and how it was destroyed?"

"Yeah, Calvata. Place was completely frozen over and any inhabitants who remained were apparently slaughtered."

_Thanks for the reminder, Silver._

_You're welcome._

"Well, there was another part to it… The 'legend' part. I told you about the hunters and their encounter with the Barioth at the summit of the mountain. The Barioth was slain, as were two of the hunters. The last two fought over whether to spare the Barioth's cubs or to kill them too. By the end of it, only one hunter remained."

"The one who spared the Barioths, right. And then some weird magic mumbo jumbo happened with the mother's spirit and the Barioths became kids or something. Does this legend have something to do with Hades and Aodhan? I mean, the whole 'monster turning into a human' thing is the only comparison I can draw between the two."

"…Yes, it has everything to do with the legend, Wes. But it isn't exactly a legend… See, that wasn't a mountain those hunters climbed. It was a tower. The same kind of tower that we fought Aodhan at, and the same as the one you fought Hades at. And it wasn't the Barioth's spirit that willed the cubs to transform… As for what that actually was, I don't have a clue."

"Wait wait wait, where are you going with this?" Wes asked, waving his hands to cut the huntress off. "I get how similar these circumstances are, but I still don't get why this is so unnerving to you, Snow."

"Wes… I trust you. Frost and I both trust you. You showed me before that you were not only understanding, but also accepting of things that didn't seem possible. We said we'd tell you when the time was right, but given the circumstances, it looks like I'm going to have to just go ahead and say it."

"…Say what?"

"Frost and I… we _are _those Barioth cubs. We are Hybrids. Just like Hades. Just like Aodhan."

Any thought that Wes had previously been mulling over at that point was completely swept away by the white-haired woman's revelation. He felt his eyes widen, his mouth open, himself take a step back as though to keep himself from toppling over. It was that surprising to him, something that he couldn't have possibly guessed. Not even Silver had a reply to the news.

Snow? Frost? Hybrids? They never seemed any different from regular people! Frost was unusually quiet, sure, but Wes was certain there were other people who preferred to let their actions speak for them. And Snow herself was talkative, cheerful, friendly… Completely unlike the way Hades had been.

And yet, somehow it also made sense. Snow's body completely belied her strength; she was almost as strong as Frost was, and he utterly towered over almost everyone. She was quicker than average, but Frost could keep up with her easily, despite his size. Looking at the huntress now, Wes could compare the icy blue of her eyes to that of a Barioth, and the woman's hair to that of the beast's pelt. It was the same way he determined that Hades was the Stygian Zinogre they had fought.

"You… You're… Hybrids?" Wes finally said after several moments of stunned silence. Snow simply nodded in response, leaving the hunter to swallow nervously and look to the side. "That's… that's a lot to take in, Snow. I mean… I can hardly believe this. I can see a resemblance, but…"

"I can show you a bit more proof," she said, holding her hand out towards him.

The hunter stared in amazement as a small wisp of white energy appeared in the huntress' hand, swirling around quicker and quicker before molding itself into the shape of a large snowflake, roughly the size of his palm. Snow held the crystal out towards him expectantly, and after a moment the blue- and green-eyed hunter reached out and took hold of the flake. He expected it to melt or break, but amazingly the crystal remained intact even after he applied more pressure to it.

"What in the world…"

"Just like Hades and Aodhan, I can control an element too; namely, ice. And this is just the least I can do. Have you ever seen it snow in the desert before?"

"I… I think I'll just take your word for it," Wes replied slowly, gazing intently at the large flake of ice in his palm. Even after closing his fingers around the object, it refused to melt; it wasn't natural, that much he was certain about. The clear sheen of the ice had an almost mystical feel to it, as though it were a product of some strange power. "This is… wow. I really don't know what to say, Snow. I feel like I should say 'I don't believe you', but here you are making giant snowflakes out of nothing. It's just… I mean, Hades and Aodhan were… They tried to kill us. Hades even said just how much he would love to tear us to pieces. I don't know about Aodhan, but from what I heard, he seemed just as strong. They were, well, monsters."

"And you think we're like them, then?"

"I-I didn't say that! Snow, this is a lot for me to try and grasp. I don't even know one-hundred percent how I feel about this all. I mean… I don't even understand completely why you're even telling _me _all of this. Why me?"

The short sword-wielder sighed before making her way towards her nightstand, resting her palms on either end and staring intently on the picture resting atop the table.

"Like I said before, not everything I said about that legend was true. I'll just start from the beginning… Frost and I didn't actually have a 'father'. The hunter that prevailed over his teammate on top of the tower, he was the one that took us in. He brought us back to the village and treated us as though we were his own, even when it was clear that we weren't… normal kids. The rest of the village wasn't so kind… the children avoided us like a plague, the adults looked at us like we were something out of a nightmare… The only one who ever showed us a shred of compassion was him.

"But in the end, he was still only human. One day, he caught an illness, and the next, he was gone. I never cried harder in my life than the day he died… We had lost the only other person we could actually trust. It was just Frost and I then, and we had no idea where we would go or what we would do. We were lost in a place where we were lucky not to be insulted or ridiculed dozens of times each day, all because we were different. I guess it's nothing new. We've seen it all over; insults about skin color, distrust of those from foreign lands, even petty things like what weapons hunters prefer to use over others. No matter what, people always seem to find a way to hate something…

"After our 'father' passed, the hatred became too much to bear. We had no shield to protect us from their words, no arms to find comfort in… We couldn't return to the wilds as they all said we should. We'd never have survived out there like we are now. They even took to insulting him for showing us any compassion. They spat on his grave, made a mockery of who he was and what he did. Eventually… we lost control."

"Lost control…? What do you mean, Snow?" Wes asked as the huntress paused for a few moments.

"We were young. I was emotional, and Frost was angry. We were mistreated, misjudged… We just couldn't take it anymore. We didn't want it to happen, it just… Happened." The huntress pushed herself off from the nightstand and turned to face him. The dual blade wielder was shocked to see tears streaming down Snow's face. "We killed them. All of them. The entire village, we wiped it off the map. It was a horrible, horrible thing to do, and yet… a part of me still loved every second of it. They _deserved _what happened to them."

"So… then everything you said before… The blizzard and the sword wounds… That was you two…?"

"I guess you could say the 'White Devil' is actually the 'White Devils'," she said dryly, looking off towards the window. "I know it's horrible and… disgusting, but I can't deny that I enjoyed it. You saw it with Hades. Hybrids possess an inherent love for bloodshed. Fighting, hunting, killing… It's just a part of our nature. The rush we feel in combat… It's unlike anything you could ever understand. The only thing that really sets Frost and me apart from Hades and Aodhan is that we've been like this since we were young. We grew up around humans, learning to think and act more like they do. We aren't as primal, I guess you could say. But even then, we still have the hearts of monsters.

"After all of that, we just ran. We ran and ran and ran wherever we could, trying to avoid standing out too much despite our nature as Hybrids. It was almost impossible, really. We were just too strong not to. But that's when we heard about the Master Corps. A place where all the best hunters in the country would be gathered up into one giant crowd of strength, skill, and talent. The one place we wouldn't seem as special as we would anywhere else. But it's also the most dangerous… We're surrounded by people who could try and kill us if they were to find out who and what we are.

"But who else would we meet on the way there than you?" she asked, looking back up at the wide-eyed hunter. "I'll admit, at first you didn't seem that much different from any of the other hunters we'd met before. But, as time went on, I started to notice something. The way you looked at everyone around you, the way you spoke when you thought we couldn't hear… It felt as though you had experienced a loneliness like ours before coming here. Like you had finally found a haven for yourself, just like Frost and I had. It was subtle, but I could tell.

"And so, I got curious. I wondered if maybe, just maybe, you would be able to understand us too. That's why I told you about Calvata, and it's why I'm telling you all of this now. You actually _understood._ Or, at least, that's what I think. I know we aren't natural or by any means ordinary. I just… _we _just needed someone else we could actually turn to about all of this. It's something I can't just keep bottled up anymore, Wes. It… it honestly hurts feeling like I have to lie to everyone I'm close to because I'm afraid. I know Frost and I aren't guilt-free at all, but I just couldn't handle it anymore. Not to mention that Balestra's onto us now too… It just feels like we're running out of space to act in."

"I… I see," Wes said at last, taking a deep breath and nodding a few times before bringing his hand up to his chin. He finally realized just what she had been so worried about, why she and Frost had insisted on being so secretive, and why she had come to him about this all those months before. It all made sense to him now, even though he still felt almost dizzy from all the information he had just taken in. Even Silver was having a hard time keeping everything sorted out. "So… You and Frost are Hybrids who came to Loc Lac to hide out after killing an entire village worth of people in a fit of uncontrollable rage. I think I get it now… You don't want to be seen as monsters, just as people. You _want _to feel normal. Is that… accurate?"

"That's the gist of it all, yes."

"…Man, it's still just so much to take in…"

"Are you… afraid?"

The hunter glanced up quickly at the question. "Nervous? Maybe a little. Confused as hell? Absolutely. But afraid? Snow, I'm not afraid of either of you. Well, okay, sometimes Frost from time to time, but that's not because he's a Hybrid. I'm not afraid of you either, Snow. I don't even see how I _could _be afraid of you."

This time it was Snow who had a surprised expression, her eyes widening upon hearing his reply. "But… really? I mean, I'm… I'm glad to hear that, but how? Even after Hades?"

"Snow, no matter what you may have said, you and Frost are completely different from Hades. He wasn't nearly as human as the two of you are. You said it yourself; if you could go back and keep yourselves from doing what you did, you would have. Hades would never have said that. And even then, did the people in Calvata have the right to make your lives a living hell? No. Now, killing all of them was… excessive, and I don't think I'm exactly comfortable knowing about that, but you were young, and in a hell of a lot worse of a situation than I'd ever been in as a kid. I'm not going to hold that against you. And, for what it's worth, you've been good friends to me. Hybrid or not, I don't care. You're still Snow."

The hunter let out a startled gasp as the Hybrid quickly stepped forwards and embraced him, causing him to drop to icy object in surprise. She held him tightly, mindful of her strength while also making the gesture more genuine than any time before. It was the kind of hug that filled a person with that warm, fuzzy feeling, that sort of hug that only came when someone was truly grateful towards another.

"Wes… Thank you. You really don't know how much it means to hear you say that," Snow said after a few moments, pulling away and wiping her eyes. The blue- and green-eyed hunter saw the tears they held before she did so were no longer those of sadness, but they were rather tears of joy. She was smiling too widely for them to be anything but. If anything, it relieved him to see her happy again. "I… Thank you. Thank you so much. If there's anything Frost or I can do to repay you, we can do it."

"Well, now that you mention it, there is something you could help me with. It's a little selfish though."

"I don't mind, what do you need?"

"…My room kinda gets really hot some nights. Is there like a… spell or something you can put on it to keep it conditioned?"

"Oh, that's an easy one! I can imbue something with a bit of ice element to act as an air cooler. Sound good to you?"

"Yeah, that'd be perfect. But exactly how do you have control over ice like that?" Wes asked, motioning towards the icy crystal on the floor. "It's… honestly like something out of a fantasy novel. Like-"

"Magic, right. That's basically the best way to describe it, really," Snow replied, leveling her hand at the flake. As if pulled by an unseen force, the object flew back into her palm, clinking lightly as the small pieces separated into several small icicles before evaporating completely. "It's… hard to explain how it works. Frost and I don't really know everything about Hybrids, but our theory is that the extra power that monster's possess over humans can't be manifested physically, and to compensate it becomes an external power."

"Man, when it isn't being used to try and kill me, I gotta say it's pretty incredible how you can do that," he said, watching the Hybrid manipulate the wispy white flurry around her hand before shaping it into a tiny totem-like object, and then again into a miniature wyvern. "I'd give anything for a chance to do that. Do you… think it's possible for humans to do the same things?"

"Hmm… I'm not sure, to be honest. Humans are capable of a lot of things given enough time and practice, but I don't feel like this is something that can be learned. Not easily, at least. No ordinary human could do it, but who knows, maybe you'd be able to. I'm not even sure I know how to teach something like this."

"Even if I can't, I still think it's something. I'll look into it sometime though; Viper's been doing some peculiar stuff with his bow, things I haven't seen him capable of before, so who knows? Maybe there's a secret we all hold, huh? But speaking of that, where is Frost? I noticed he wasn't hiding out like last time."

"He was called out on a mission earlier. He should be returning along with the others before too long, but don't worry, he knew about my plan to talk to you about this. Chances are he's looking forward to hearing what you said."

"Well, if he needs to hear it from me in person, I don't mind repeating myself. I have one more question for you though. You said earlier that you didn't know everything about Hybrids. How can that be? Shouldn't you just… I dunno, come with the knowledge, I guess?"

"I get what you mean, but it isn't that simple. How the tower reacted to us, where our power comes from, why it even happens in the first place… We don't understand any of these things. Frost and I want to find out more, and that's been something we've tried to discover more about as we traveled, but so far we haven't found anything…"

"If I ever come across anything, I'll be sure to let you both know. It'd be a lie to say I'm not a little interested in that myself."

"I appreciate that, Wes. Now then, let's see about cooling that room of yours down, shall we?"

Wes was about to follow after the Hybrid when a thought occurred to him. She'd spilled her heart out to him, told him everything about her past and why she and Frost were on the run. She'd shown just how much she trusted him. Why shouldn't he do the same?

"Hey, Snow, could you… wait just a second?" he asked nervously.

_Wes, what are you doing?!_

_She literally told me everything! It's only fair!_

_The idea is to NOT seem like you're crazy! What if she doesn't get it?!_

_And what if we didn't understand her either?! Like it or not, I'm doing this, Silver. _

_I… bah, for the love of… it's your funeral, jackass._

"Sure, what is it?" the white-haired woman replied, pulling his attention back to reality. She had stopped a few feet from the door and was looking at him questioningly.

"There's, ah, something I think I should tell you too…" the dual blade wielder sighed, scratching the back of his head and looking off to the side. "Do you remember when I told you that I couldn't tell you everything about my coma? About… about my dream?"

"Oh, Wes, if it's something you aren't comfortable saying, you don't-"

"It's only fair I tell you this too, Snow. It's only because I trust you as much as you trust me. You see… Ever since I woke up from the coma, there's been a… an entity living in my head."

"An… entity? What do you mean?" Snow responded, taking a few steps towards him with a concerned look.

"I know it's going to sound crazy- maybe even a little crazier than you telling me you were a Hybrid, to be honest- but it's like there's another person in my head. I can talk with him, share information… he even looks out for me during fights, telling me when to dodge and where to strike. He's been there since before I even woke up. He was there in my dream too. I saw him in that giant field… He looked exactly like me, except he wore all black and had silver hair. I don't even know exactly what he is, but I know that he's there."

"Uhm… Wes, are you sure you're feeling alright? It's not that I don't believe you, it's just… this sounds more like a head injury or a split personality than anything, not an entity or a ghost."

"I… I don't even know myself, Snow. Honestly, I do think I woke up a little bit more unstable from all of that, but… I just don't really know how else to describe it. Silver isn't hostile or telling me to kill anybody, so it's not like he's a problem, but I just don't understand it fully. I thought before that you'd think me insane if I told you then, which… I guess wouldn't be far from the truth."

"I see… Well, the Wes I know has always been a little crazy, but in a good way. So long as this 'Silver' entity or whatever doesn't keep you from being you, then it doesn't bother me one bit."

"I… Thanks for that," he sighed, feeling as though a huge weight had been lifted from his chest. "But… just to be on the safe side, could we… keep that between us? I know Frost won't tell anyone, but I don't think he'd appreciate the information the way you do."

"Heheh, asking me to keep a secret from my brother? That'll cost you a lot, Wes!"

"Snow, I'm serious about-"

"Oh relax, I'm just teasing you!" she laughed, pushing his shoulder slightly. "My lips are sealed. Now c'mon, let's get your room nice and cool. It's been a while since I've been able to use my magic in front of someone after all, so I think this'll be kinda fun!"

"Heh, yeah, maybe it will be," Wes replied with a chuckle, following after the Hybrid as they left her room.

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**Author Notes: ****Please review! I know exposition chapters can be a bit of a drag sometimes, but I hope that this one was at least enjoyable. Also, sorry this one seemed to take a bit longer to post. I'd have had it out a few days ago, but Fanfiction was down.**

**One of the main aspects I've been covering with Wes' character throughout the story is a deconstruction of the typical Marty Stu character types you see in a lot of media. I don't recall if I brought this up before, but I specifically wrote him in as that type of character early on simply so I could tear it down and build up his real character, which is more on display in this chapter than it has been anywhere else. I honestly prefer the mellower, thoughtful characters to the bombastic act-first types, even though I do have a soft spot for Dante. The best part about this set up is that I can keep developing him as a character while also bringing more of the other characters into focus. That is, in between crazy fight scenes, of course.**

**The inspiration to give Wes the Ace Commander's armor set has a couple different sources. For one, I just really, really liked the way it looked. I had a thing for the Guild Bard set back in Tri, and I used it in low rank 4U as well, and the Guild Knight armor was an okay set as well, but I viewed the Commander's set as a perfect mix of both. Plus, it's blue, and that's my favorite color. I also found it to be a unique parallel to the new set York will be using now as well, which uses parts of the Guild Knight set in its design. I also like imagining how a set could be customized in game to better match the character's style and look, which is why Wes' set will end up featuring a hood. I really hated having to wear the wig to get the complete set bonus, since out of all the parts of his design, I disliked the Commander's hair the most. It's the main reason I wish there was a Hide Headgear option. Still, it gave me material for this chapter, at least. Who'd go into battle wearing an armor grade wig anyways?**

**So, I know that the whole "Snow and Frost are Hybrids" thing was really obvious in the last few chapters, but I still feel like there were a few surprises waiting for you all in Snow's tale about her past. I wanted her and Frost to be sympathetic, sure, but more than anything I wanted them to be complex. This is something that holds true for pretty much every main character; the new ones, at least. That's what a lot of this story arc is about, and also why I chose to name it "Revelation", which is typically reserved for the final chapters of stories and games. This time, it's midway through! Lots of stuff will be revealed in this arc though, so expect a lot more exposition. Don't worry though; I have some great fight scenes planned already!**

**And, now that I've **_**finally **_**gotten around to detailing Frost and Snow's backstories, I can actually reveal their character themes! For Snow, I chose the song "Miracle" by Paramore, while Frost actually has two themes that I can't really decide between. His can be either "No More Secrets" by Papa Roach or "Natural Born Killer" by Avenged Sevenfold. Definitely two very outspoken songs considering his character, but hey, his actions speak pretty louder than he ever has.**

**Alright, I believe I've blabbed enough for one chapter, so I'll take my leave. As always, don't forget to review, follow, and favorite if you haven't done so, and I'll see you next time, my faithful readers and readettes!**

**Playing: MH4U, SSB4, Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D, DmC: Definitive Edition**

**Listening to: Avenged Sevenfold, Paramore, The Offspring**

**Watching: The grass grow. Seriously, not having a TV at the moment kinda sucks.**

**Reading: Nothing worthy of note. I'm beginning to wonder why I even bother putting these last two things in the notes, to be honest.**


	25. Preparation

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

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Chapter 25- Preparation

Trance snapped his arm up quickly, raising his foil just in time to block a high swipe from Corrin. Throwing his opponent's blade from his own, the brown-haired man thrust his blade towards Corrin's chest, though the black-haired officer reacted swiftly enough to parry the attempt. Thinking quickly, Trance leapt back to evade Corrin's follow up attack, just barely coming short of the protective white coat he wore. Landing solidly on his feet, Trance pushed off with his back leg, striking Corrin dead center with a lunge as he recovered.

"And that's a match!" Trance said triumphantly, removing his protective mask and raising his sword arm high in victory. "Close one that time. What was it, fifteen-twelve?"

"Fifteen-fourteen actually," Corrin replied, taking his mask off as well and shaking hands with his acquaintance. "You forgot about the two penalty points from when you tripped."

"Ah, right, I guess I did! Still, I could have sworn we got rid of all the stones on the strip before starting. I have no idea where that one came from."

"Well, pebbles aside, you're still leading our scoreboard by three wins. I got some catching up to do now, huh?"

"With two matches a day? Hardly! Don't you remember that week where you just destroyed me? Just get a groove like that going again and you'll be even with me in no time."

"I'm still wondering what Katarina put in those biscuits the weekend before. I had one of them and I just felt like I was on fire, y'know?"

"Didn't you say the lady's cooking was awful?" Trance asked, seating himself on the bench and taking a swig of water.

"Eh, it's getting better, but those _biscuits. _I cannot describe to you how good those were."

"Maybe you can share some next time? Imagine how intense our matches would get then!"

"Trance, don't put that thought in my head. Remember the fiasco with those energy drinks? We couldn't sleep for three days after that, and knowing you, we'd go through them in half an hour."

"Hah, I suppose you do have a point there. I never knew that I could smell colors… Anyways, you know about the Hunter's Examination tomorrow?"

"How could I not? You've been reminding me every day for the last week about it," Corrin replied, stuffing the last of his gear into his bag and taking a seat on the bench. "Your younger brother is taking part in it, right?"

"Yeah, well, Sir Balestra agreed to letting me have tomorrow off so I could go watch!"

"Wait, what? But tomorrow's debriefing and report day!"

"I know, isn't it great?" Trance said, chuckling at his friend's baffled expression. "Have fun writing all of those papers about that Savage Deviljho for me, would you?"

"I guess this is payback for taking that weekend off, huh? Talk about passive-aggressiveness… Did you only bring that up to spite me?"

"Well, not really. Aquila and his team are coming into Loc Lac today, so I was planning on taking a little… _time off _to go and see him in. Think you can cover for me while I'm doing so?"

"After the whole 'have fun doing all my work tomorrow' thing? You are really lucky you're my friend, Trance. Not like it'd be that hard anyways, I can just say you got stuck in the elevator again. Everyone would believe that."

"Hey, I'll have you know I'm well equipped in case that happens again," the officer stated, opening a side pouch on his bag and procuring a red crowbar from within.

"Didn't the last one you bought break in half on the first try?" Corrin asked wryly.

"The merchant said this one was industrial grade carbalite steel. It's not going to break any time soon. I think he said something about… crab heads or something? I dunno, but he said it was a good defense option against those too."

"Uh huh… Well, what time was your brother supposed to be coming in?"

"Pretty soon, actually. I was going to get changed and head out to the docks as soon as I could. So, if you could keep this on the down low, that'd be great."

"You really owe me for this… Alright, c'mon, let's get you out of here before things get busy."

Trance nodded and pushed himself up, hearing a slight grunt and a _thud _far off to the left. Glancing over, he saw Wes and Viper were practicing unarmed combat again. It was a welcome sight after the blonde hunter's long coma; he'd often watched the two go at it in between bouts, and had come to miss seeing them the past few months. It looked as though they were just finishing up as well: Viper helped Wes to his feet and the two made their way to the bench beside the ring for a swig of water. Trance gave the pair a short wave before heading into the HQ building alongside Corrin.

"Still, I'm impressed that you managed to get a day off from the boss, Trance. He's been extremely busy lately, especially with all those council meetings. Did you hear about the Guild situation too?"

"Huh? What situation?"

"I dunno, I just heard rumors from a few Guild employees that something happened out in the desert. As for what, I have no idea. I have a theory that Sir Balestra may be involved with whatever the Guild and the council are doing to handle it, which is why he's been so in and out lately."

"Doesn't surprise me. He's always getting involved with the city's business, even more so now. Seems he just can't catch a break… Maybe we should plan an office party or a vacation or something? Give him a break for a change, yeah?"

"Well well, aren't you just a regular employee of the month," Corrin chuckled, making Trance roll his eyes.

"We'll see who's laughing when you get slammed with a mountain of paperwork tomorrow."

* * *

"That wasn't half bad for a morning workout," Viper huffed, seating himself beside his friend.

"I just wish I still wasn't so stiff from the fight with Hades," Wes replied. "That mark on my chest hasn't exactly left yet. It's really uncomfortable to try any complex moves."

"At least you aren't crippled like Kat or Harlin. I talked to them the other day, and they mentioned you stopped in."

"Well, I was already at the ward and all, but yeah, I thought it'd be nice to stop in for a quick visit. I'm not ignoring the things you all said to me before, Viper. I gotta act like a friend, not just assume I am one."

"Glad you at least paid attention to that," the archer smirked. "So, you said your parents were coming in later today, yeah?"

"For the exam. I got a letter earlier in the week saying they'd be arriving around noon. You want to come along?"

"Sure, why not? I only got to meet 'em for a little while before. I'd like to find out more about where you get your crazy from."

"That's mostly from my pa," the dual blade wielder laughed. "Still, let's remember to keep the Hades thing on the down low, alright? You almost mouthed off about it at the tavern the other day, and that's the last thing my mom needs to hear about."

"My lips are sealed, bud. Think we should invite Frost and Snow along too?"

"We can try, I guess. I don't think Connor will let Frost leave the ward though. He kept saying that every time Frost comes back from a hunt his arm is even worse than the time before, and he's serious about waiting until it's actually completely healed before turning him loose again."

"That makes sense. Hard to believe Frost would be willing to let that one slide, though. He never seemed like the kind of guy that liked sitting around, considering how many dummies he goes through in a single training session. And… let's be honest, he's probably a little too intimidating for a bunch of rookies. _I _still find him intimidating, man!"

"Hah, he's not _that _bad. You're just blowing it out of proportion. What, you think he's going to throw you over the city walls or something?"

"Hey, you never know with those strong, silent types. Emphasis on the strong part. Anywho, let's see if we can find Snow and greet our soon-to-be hunters. I'd like to firmly establish myself as a role model to them before they take the exam."

"Wow, look at you being the big ego this time around! Never thought you'd be the one to make an impression on the newer crowd, Viper."

"Well, think about it: we're in the Master Corps! Ain't that a goal most newer hunters might wanna achieve some day?"

"I get your point, but you're making it seem like they aren't almost as old as we are, bow boy. Just because we worked our butts off a little more doesn't mean we have to rub it in their faces."

"Ah c'mon man, just think about it! Lead by example and all of that!"

"That sounds more like showing off to me, Viper. I'm trying to, y'know, not do that anymore."

"Irk, guess you really are serious about it then," the yellow-eyed hunter grinned. "I was hoping to catch you off guard with that one!"

"You'll have to try harder than that! You were way too obvious."

"You think so? Acting was never really one of my strong suits. I'd like to say I'm at least kind of believable."

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that. Alright, let's go find Snow."

The pair got to their feet and headed into the HQ, stopping off at the white-haired woman's room. She was more than happy to accompany them, though she said she'd need a little while to get ready. Viper noted that she gave Wes a rather pronounced wink when they were departing for their rooms, as well as a slightly long pat on the shoulder that Viper could only interpret as being some kind of affection, which he hadn't noticed at all before. Come to think of it, they had been spending a lot more time together recently…

"So, what's the story with you two?" Viper asked as they climbed the stairs to the next floor up.

"What do you mean?"

"I saw the look she gave you, bud. C'mon, don't leave me in the dark! Are you two… y'know?" The archer crossed his fingers to accentuate his point, immediately causing the dual blade wielder's face to flush.

"No, no, no… No! We aren't together or anything, we're just close friends. Why do you automatically assume that I'm dating whatever woman smiles at me? I might as well be dating half of Loc Lac in that case."

"Hah! I can only imagine how _that _would turn out! But seriously, I've seen that look on girls' faces before. You sure she isn't crushing on you or anything?"

"Why are you so interested? The great womanizer Viper isn't getting jealous now, is he?"

"Jealous? Of you? As if! I just want to know whether two of my closest teammates are getting busy behind closed doors or something."

"Yeah, you are definitely jealous. No one else is interested in the next lady you bring in for the night, bow boy. Hell, I didn't even make a fuss when I walked in on you and Emerald."

"Wes, I told you never to bring that up again! That was strictly a competition, nothing more!"

"Alright, alright, calm down," the blue-and green-eyed hunter chuckled. "No need to get your small clothes in a bunch, it was just a joke."

"Riiiight."

"Look, we're just getting to know each other a bit better, alright? You don't have anything to worry about. If she's your next conquest or something, go right on ahead. I'm not going to stop you."

"Good! I mean, uh… Thanks, but that wasn't exactly what I was… What I mean to say is-"

"See? Not so funny when it's you this time, is it?"

"I am so going to get you back for this…"

* * *

A short while later, Wes was making his way towards the southern docks of the city alongside Viper, Snow, and Trance. The officer had mentioned his brother arriving on the same vessel and asked to accompany them, which the hunters were more than happy to allow. The man talked almost incessantly about seeing his sibling though, and while Wes didn't say anything, he laughed when Viper finally told the brown-haired man to quiet down a little.

Wes found himself thinking back to what the archer had asked him earlier. Snow had been spending a lot more time with him ever since revealing her nature as a Hybrid. At one point she even practiced sword fighting with him in the training yard, and while he could tell that he was almost completely outmatched in every way, the huntress seemed more like she was just having fun and trying to help him improve more than anything. To anyone who didn't know better, he guessed it would seem like they were a couple, though the thought of that still sent a shiver down his spine.

Frost had been more open to him as well. Aside from a short meeting in a self-service equipment tending store the week prior, Wes had managed to get a few infrequent words from the tall man after his talk with Snow. Whenever he was certain they weren't able to be heard he'd make a few comments about his own thoughts and feelings about his and Snow's past, though because of how often Frost was sent out on missions lately, the conversations were few and far between.

From what he could gather, Frost seemed far more similar to what Wes assumed most Hybrids were like than Snow was. He never really showed it before, but the hunter could see just how much of a thrill the idea of a fight brought to Frost's eyes. The man was able to retell the exact events surrounding a hunt he and Snow had been on in the Tundra years before, barely missing a detail when it came to his sword or the movement of the beast's body. The closest thing Wes could equate it to was poetry. Really, really violent poetry.

He had to admit, the knowledge that two of his closest friends were these strange, unnatural beings did unsettle him. He didn't fear or despise them; the feeling stemmed from him not having known before. He wasn't even sure he _would _have known if Snow hadn't told him. The idea that there was a race that could look so remarkably human, yet be something far different was… intimidating? No, that wasn't the word he would use. Wes felt it was something unexplainable, yet he still yearned to find an explanation for it.

Wes allowed his mind to wander and speak with Silver, though the hunter was still mostly aware of his surroundings. He'd grown more accustomed to paying attention to the environment around him as he thought, mostly to avoid mistakenly walking into stationary objects and people. It was his talks with Silver that helped him get more used to it; the entity actively encouraged him to try and be more aware of the world around him so that he wouldn't become too reliant on Silver. The blonde-haired hunter could see the groups of people around him going about their business, hunters coming and going on quests, merchants shouting out to passerbys to take a look at the wares they had for sale, even the gradual shift of older cobblestone roads to the newer stone paved ones as they moved out of the older parts of the city. There were still a few close calls, particularly one involving a Felyne riding on a Gargwa-driven carriage, but he'd been able to avoid that with some quick thinking. Eventually, the group passed between a tall pair of obelisk-like towers that acted as a gate of sorts, coming to a stop on the road connected to the sandship docks.

"Hoo wee, that was a bit of a walk, huh?" Trance stated, taking his wide brimmed hat off and wiping his brow. "Sometimes it seems like you just fly between parts of the city, y'know? Other times… Not so much."

"No offense, but I have no idea what that even means, Scrabble," Viper sighed, shaking his head in confusion. "Walking is walking, not teleporting."

"Give him a break Viper, he's just excited," Snow said, glancing over at the black-haired man. "Wouldn't you be too if you had a younger brother coming out to take part in the exam?"

"Depends, would he be a good shot with a bow? …I'm kidding!"

"I still think it's funny that your brother is one of my pa's students though," Wes noted, turning his gaze out towards the sand sea. "That means he's on a team with Cass and Ilia."

"He mentioned them in his letters, and another guy named Jango," the officer replied. "I can't wait to hear about all the hunts he went on out in Moga! And it'll be a real treat to see him in the arena tomorrow! If I could just-"

"Trance, seriously, before you start gushing again, we _know._"

"Viper!"

"Ahaha, it's alright Snow, I know I'm kinda overdoing it. But can you blame me? I haven't seen Aquila in months! And now he's this close to becoming a hunter. It's pretty exciting for me, at least."

The loud ringing of a bell from out in the sand sea drew the dual blade wielder from his thoughts, though. Wes and the others turned their gaze towards the expanse of desert as a ship came into view outside of the large gateway. It took a moment, but Wes recognized that the ship was the _Righteous Law; _that meant Dustin must've been the one to pick up the group in Moga. Perhaps his father had requested that the captain be the one to ferry them to the city? Dustin normally worked the routes between the Sandy Plains and Loc Lac, though his ship was specially equipped for ocean voyages as well.

Wes watched as the large vessel entered the city, sailors working quickly to tie up the sails pulling it forwards and allowing the ship to ease to a stop beside a large wooden dock. Several workers caught the ropes those on board threw out to tie the ship down, and a few moments later a long gangway was lowered onto the dock. A few sailors made their way off the ship first, most of them working to secure the ropes or carry some heavy looking equipment chests off the sandship. A few moments after them, though, another group of people disembarked, drawing a smile from the dual blade wielder as he approached them.

"Welcome to Loc Lac, strangers!" he greeted, holding his arms out welcomingly. The hunter let out a surprised yelp as his mother rushed forwards and embraced him tightly, his father trailing after her by a few steps with a grin.

"It is _so _good to see you, Wes!" Rose stated, pulling away slightly so that she could look at his face. "We were so worried about you! How are you feeling? You aren't feverish, are you? You feel so much thinner than I remember… You've been eating enough, right? Three square meals a day? And what about-"

"Ma, I'm okay, really," the blue- and green-eyed hunter laughed, patting her shoulder assuredly. "And, for the record, I've been having _four _meals a day. Second breakfast, remember?"

"Oh, you know I do. A mother has to worry though. Especially after all that crap you put us through! Don't ever scare me like that again, you hear me?!"

"Y-yes Ma!"

The hunter glanced over as York put a hand on Rose's shoulder. She glanced back quickly, though after a moment she released her hold on Wes and allowed the one-eyed man to step forwards. Wes and York stared at each other for several moments in silence, as though they were sizing each other up. After almost a full minute, York finally broke the silence.

"Your hair's gotten longer."

"Yours got grayer."

"You've got a few more scars on your face."

"You have a few more wrinkles."

"You haven't grown a beard."

"You haven't shaved yours off yet."

"You have both your eyes, I see."

"You managed to keep your other one intact."

"You've gotten taller."

"You're just shrinking."

"You've been practicing outside lately."

"You've been working inside all week."

"Good to see you again, Wes."

"Good to see you too, Pa."

The hunters shook hands firmly before embracing as well, laughing as they did so. Wes was glad to see that his parents hadn't changed at all since he'd seen them last.

"But seriously, what's with the new hairdo?" York said after a few moments, ruffling his hand through Wes' hair. "I thought you said you liked the old one enough to never change it!"

"Have you seen how much the barber costs?" the blue- and green-eyed hunter replied with a wry smirk. "Besides, I think the newer look is pretty good. No one else is complaining."

"Rose, what do you have to say about it?"

"I've given up on that years ago, dear. That's one victory I'll let him keep."

"Well, looks like we won't be complaining either then."

Wes rolled his eyes and chuckled, though after a moment he caught sight of a few other familiar faces.

"Cass, Ilia, what're you doing hanging' out back there? C'mon, I won't bite; a year and a half in Loc Lac didn't turn me into a Delex!"

"And here I was thinkin' you'd have greeted us with a Jhen Mohran's tusk!" Cassian said, stepping past York and patting the dual blade wielder roughly on the shoulder, which Wes responded to in kind. "Glad to see that hanging out with your elite buddies hasn't made ya forget about your pals a few steps behind ya!"

"C'mon, like I could forget the guy that flooded the bottom floor of the school with me. Mud party, remember?"

"I think you mean… _Mud Partyyyyyy!"_

The two laughed and bumped fists as Iliana came up beside them, shaking her head yet smiling at them.

"Personally, I'm just glad to see that you two can still act like idiots together. At least that means I can _probably _still bail you out of trouble whenever you royally screw something up again."

"Good to see you too, Ilia. Been keeping Cass on a tight leash while I was gone?"

"Oh trust me, have I ever. He's been a good boy for the most part. Isn't that right, little Cassian?"

"Hey, I ain't a dog, y'know!"

"You always were whenever we played house."

"_House ain't a three player game!"_

"It was whenever you were around, tough guy," Wes chuckled. "So, you think you're all ready for the exam then? You haven't been messing around all week, right?"

"C'mon, you know us better than that!" the bowgunner laughed. "I mean, Cass probably could have afforded to wake up a little earlier a few times, but we haven't just been kicking dirt around while you've been having your fun out here."

"Yeah, we've gotten tons better since you've been out here!" the great sword user added. "Just you wait until tomorrow, then you'll see what we can do!"

"Heh, I hope so! After all, I'd like to join you guys on a hunt sometime once you've passed. I've picked up a few new tricks of my own, after all. Ah, I almost forgot, I brought a few friends along. They're in the Master Corps too. That's Viper, and Snow's right behind him."

"How's it goin', rookies?" Viper greeted, giving them a short wave as he and the short sword wielder neared them.

"So, these are your old friends from Moga?" Snow asked, glancing between the pair. "They don't look half bad! Nice to meet you both!"

"Aside from them, the guy in uniform is Trance. He's- wait, where is he?"

"He's over there, talking with Aquila," Cass grumbled, nodding back towards the pair. They were a closer to the gangway, talking excitedly to each other about who knows what. Wes hadn't even noticed when Trance walked past him! "The guy barely talks about anything on his off time aside from his brother. Kinda drives me nuts."

"I like this guy already!" the archer laughed. "Guess those two are like peas in a pod, huh?"

"Well, I think I'll let you all break the ice then," Wes said, glancing between the hunters. "Hope you don't mind me backing out, but hey, my parents are here too."

"Ahh, go right ahead, mate! I'd like to see what our two elite hunters here have to say!" Cassian laughed, waving him off. The dual blade wielder gave a quick smile before turning to face his parents once again.

"So, how've you been holding up, Wes?" York asked, pushing himself up from his seat on his equipment chest. "You don't look half bad for coming out of a three month coma."

"I've been better, I'll admit, but not that bad. I've mostly been working on pulling myself together so I'll be ready for more hunts in the future. I don't really want to get into that situation again."

"You said in your last letter you were taking on a Stygian Zinogre," Rose noted, giving him a concerned look. "Did it go well? Regular Zinogres can be hard enough, but a Stygian shouldn't be taken lightly."

"It went pretty good… Er… Actually, good might be pushing it," the blue- and green-eyed hunter corrected, scratching the back of his head awkwardly and looking to the side. "It went down after a tough fight, and one of the hits I took sorta… completely ruined the armor set you gave me, Pa. I lost the scimitars you sent me too; they fell into lava along with the thing's body."

"Really? Well, that's a damned shame… Have you already looked into getting a new set, or were you hoping I'd fix the old one today?"

"It's a bit too damaged for a quick fix, Pa. I already got a new set covered though, so don't you worry about that. I think you'll like it, if that counts for anything. I'd still like it if you could fix up the old one though."

"Hand it off to me before I head back to Moga, and I'll get right to it," the one-eyed hunter said. "I know this is a one-in-a-million guess and all, but I'm assuming it was dragon element that did your suit in. That crap has always been a pain in the ass… It'll take some time to get to, and I'll most likely have to substitute some parts, but I can get it back to you before too long."

"Well, I'm just glad to hear that you're okay," his mother added. "You can lose weapons, and you can lose armor, but if you lose your life, there's no replacing it."

"Alright, why not move onto a less morbid topic now," York said, giving Rose a knowing look. "I'm looking forward to seeing this new set of yours, Wes. I think you'll be just as surprised to see my new set tomorrow though."

"Wait, what? _You _got a new set?" Wes was flabbergasted; his father had used the same gear for as long as he could remember! "What made you ditch the old one?"

"Like I told your mother; you can only wear the same thing for so long before you get tired of it. For me, it took a couple decades."

"Talk about old fashioned… Well, I guess we oughta see who's got the better set tomorrow then! Mine's gonna be tough to beat though, fair warning."

"Hah! You know I'm not one to be upstaged by some standard cookie cutter sets on the open market, son. Still, I can tell you think you've found a real doozy this time, so I'll give it a chance."

"Well, York?" Rose asked after a brief moment of silence between them. "Aren't you going to ask about the hunt itself? You were saying earlier how badly you wanted to hear about it, considering you've only fought a handful of Stygians yourself."

"I, er, was getting to that. So, why not tell us about this epic battle, son?"

"Ah, well that's… Hmm, where do I even start? There were a few parts to the fight…"

Thinking quickly as he spoke, Wes wove together a rather believable story using parts from both the fight in the town and the encounter with Hades in the underground tower. Silver occasionally quipped in from the back of his head that some details needed changes before he said them, but aside from that he had no trouble in concocting a tale for his parents. After mentioning the part about the white aura, though, Wes noticed his father's expression changed drastically, though he didn't speak until after the blonde-haired hunter was finished.

"Rose, would you mind giving Jango a hand with his things over there? I… need a second to talk in private with Wes."

"Oh! Sure thing." The green-eyed woman gave Wes a concerned, if somewhat confused look before going to assist the other hunter in pulling his item chest from the boat. Before he could ask what his father wanted to discuss, York pulled him away a short distance, putting them just out of earshot of the others.

"What's this about, Pa?"

"How long have you known about the aura?" the blue-eyed hunter asked, his voice low and his tone rather serious. "When did you first learn about it?"

"Uh… A few months, I guess. I used it the first time against the Silver Rathalos when I was defending the others. Only other times I used it were against the Stygian Zinogre and once during training earlier this week. I can summon it up now if-"

"Don't! Er… Sorry about that, but not here, Wes. I'll tell you about it later, but for now-"

"Why? Now I'm just getting more curious! Is there something wrong with it?"

York looked aside for a moment and raised a hand to his chin, as though he were thinking of a way to answer the question before letting out a short sigh.

"Guess I'll just make it quick… Yes and no. Can you tell me what it felt like when you activated that aura?"

"I felt a lot stronger. Quicker too. And… I dunno, lighter? Like I could jump and land easier without getting hurt. Now that I think about it, I felt a lot better using it, like any aches I had kind of… vanished."

"And when you first activated it, it was when you were protecting the others from the Silver Rathalos?"

"Well, yes, but Pa, can't you tell me what all these questions are about? It isn't exactly like you to get this worked up about anything. What is that aura?"

"It's a powerful ability called Spirit Mode," the older man sighed. "Best way I can describe it is a super-powered Demon Mode."

"Wait, so it is better than Demon Mode? That's awesome! I mean, I wasn't too sure about-"

"Wes, I need you to listen close. Do not ever use Spirit Mode unless it's absolutely necessary to survive. It isn't safe to use it very often, especially not in regular combat. I'll tell you now that as far as I know, only you and I are capable of using it, but it's not something you want to flaunt like any other skill. I don't know as much about it, but from what I can tell Demon Mode's effects are more immediate: burning muscles, low stamina, rashes in weird places, stuff like that. You get over it quick. Spirit Mode isn't the same. It shortens your lifespan each time you use it."

"S-shortens my lifespan? So… I'll die sooner if I use it too much? How much time does it shave off? I only used it a few times, but… Wait, how many times have you used it? And how did you learn about all of this anyways?"

"I'd prefer to keep how I found that info out to myself, but I'll admit that I've used Spirit Mode a lot in my life. It's the reason I look like I aged six years since you saw me last. I mean, that and the stress you caused your mother and I after nearly getting yourself killed, but I won't beat a dead horse. You shouldn't have much to worry about after only using it a handful of times, but I just want to tell you earlier so you don't wind up dropping dead after overusing it too much. Point is, Spirit Mode is for emergencies only, understand?"

"Yeah… yeah, I get it. I do want to find out how you learned all this sometime, though."

"Maybe one day I'll tell you, but now isn't exactly the time for that. After all, now's not the time to worry about something like that; these guys need to pass their exam, remember? So focus on giving them some support, alright?"

"I think I can manage that," Wes assured, nodding and giving his father a confident smile. A loud rattling sound behind him drew the hunter's attention, though, and the blonde-haired man turned around to locate the source of the noise. What he saw shocked him beyond words, though his father seemed to have some… _choice _comments that accurately described how he was feeling.

"What in the name of the gods is that abomination?"

A large, opulent wagon drawn by a medium-sized Aptonoth rolled to a stop at the base of the docks. The thing was a real piece of work; it was painted primarily gold, with various red highlights accentuating the bright colored wagon. In fact, some parts of the carriage seemed to have been _made _from gold, or at least gilded to look as such based on how reflective it was. The wheels in particular looked like they were custom crafted, with each one being embedded with several gemstones. What really sold it, though, was the large lion-shaped figurehead that adorned the top of the cabin. Say what he would, Wes had to admit that the owner of the wagon really had gotten all the bells and whistles for this thing. The pair watched as the double doors on the side of the carriage flung open, and a familiar shape dropped out of the cabin, a wide grin plastered onto his face.

"So, York, whattya think of my ride?! Pretty fancy, ain't it?"

"Of all the ways to flaunt your inflated bank account, you decided to blow it on the ugliest carriage you could possibly imagine? Somehow that makes perfect sense for you, Hugh."

"Ah, c'mon, ya big grump! Is that any way to greet your ol' hunting bro?" the man laughed, approaching the pair quickly and wrapping an arm around Wes' shoulders. "I bet this one here's already told ya all about our little hunt earlier, eh? It was one hell of a party, lemme tell ya! Sorta reminded me of the good old days with Zeph and Rose. He takes after ya, that's for sure!"

"Well, I'm not sure about all of that, but what I'm really interested in is this so-called rocket armor you were wearing. Apparently you almost burned down half the town?"

"Irk! C'mon Wes, what kinda nephew spills the beans on his uncle like that?! I thought ya said we'd keep it sounding cool, without the collateral damage part!"

"You're making it seem like the collateral damage bit _didn't _sound cool, Uncle," the dual blade wielder smirked.

"…He ain't wrong about that."

"So, if you went to all the trouble of hauling out that giant waste of money, why didn't you bring Zephyr along?" York asked, scanning the area around the lavishly decorated carriage for the long-haired hunter.

"I'm right here, York." The dual blade wielders looked to the side as Zephyr stepped around from behind the great sword wielder, his usual smirk crossing his lips as it always did. "I still find it hard to believe that Mr. Sneaky himself has a hard time seeing me standing behind someone shorter than I am. Do I really fade into the background that much?"

"I will not confirm nor deny anything you just said. Glad to see you made it after all."

"Pops!"

The group turned just in time to see Cassian barrel past them straight into Hugh's torso with enough force to knock both men to the ground.

"Oof! Well, if it ain't Cassian! How you doing, kiddo? You haven't been running York too ragged again, have ya?"

"You know I have! But enough about that… Ya didn't think I forgot about our little wager, didja?! Get ready to eat Aptonoth dung, old timer!"

"Hahah! Bring it on, ya little runt! I'll show ya who's boss!"

"Are the docks really the best place for one of your impromptu wrestling matches?" Ilia asked, walking up beside Zephyr to watch the pair's tussle. "People need to get through here, you know!"

"Ilia, you really should know by now that once a Leovirtus gets himself heated over something, you can't get him to stop," Zephyr chuckled, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It just gets worse the more of them there are."

"Oh, trust me, I do know that. Still, I have to at least _try _to keep them from doing something stupid, right?"

"Spoken like a true Soyokaze. It's good to have you back home, Iliana. Your mother was worried that Cass would be too much for you to deal with! It'll put her mind at ease to see you keeping track of everything."

"Speaking of, where is mother? I expected her and Aunt Karah to come out as well."

"They're at home preparing for a welcome party," he explained as Hugh finally managed to pin Cassian down with a victorious laugh. Before he could declare himself the victor, though, Cassian suddenly broke out of the pin by almost completely flipping Hugh over his head, almost throwing him into York. Wes and the others couldn't help but let out a loud laugh as the two fell back onto the dock and began their wrestling match anew. Hugh had a long time standing bet with Cass that if Cass could beat him in enough wrestling matches before the year was out, he'd owe the apprentice a small fortune, a new great sword, and a 'mystery gift'. Hugh had told Wes a long time ago that the gift was just a squeaky Qurupeco bath toy, and Wes had agreed to keep that a secret from his friend, if only to see his reaction when the surprise third gift turned out to be something so ridiculous. "…All I can say is, I truly hope that they don't expect our furniture to survive the occasion. Let alone the decorations."

"When does it ever with these two? It'd be a miracle if half the house is still standing after one of their matches. You should've seen him try to convince Aquila to practice with him, father. Now _that _was funny."

"Hah, I can imagine! Ah, but what about you, Wes?" the long sword user asked, turning to face the younger hunter. "It's been a long time since we talked! You're looking a touch better than when I saw you last. Then again, almost anything's better than being bandaged in a hospital bed."

"No arguments from me," he replied. "How's the arm treating you?"

"Hah! This ol' luggamajug got an upgrade, kid!" Hugh laughed, having once again pinned Cassian to the dock, except this time in a more reliable way to keep him from breaking free again. "C'mon, show 'em! We're all friends here!"

"Must you spoil every surprise, Hugh?" the black-haired hunter sighed, removing the glove covering his hand and pulling his sleeve up to his elbow. The prosthetic arm beneath looked far superior to the one that he had previously, and decidedly more humanoid as well. While the previous design was essentially a metallic skeletal limb, this one appeared a fair bit bulkier and was mostly black in color. The outer shell appeared to be made up of several panels, a few of which looked like they could be removed if need be. A single Lagia Sapphire was still embedded into the back of the hand, though it appeared that the one that was usually placed near the elbow was removed.

"It's less likely to malfunction than the last one, and it's more durable too," he continued, flexing his hand as the others watched curiously. "Uses less power to make it work, and to top it all off, it's thirty percent stronger than the other one. Not a bad find, wouldn't you say?"

"I'm impressed," York whistled. "I'm just wondering how many favors you owe Joshua for this one. He never accepts money from us."

"Ah… actually, this one was free. Do you recall the incident with the Gargwa and that fellow with the pink hair? Joshua said he would do it for free if I agreed to let it slide."

"Really? It's been eight years since that happened. I'd have thought he'd forget about it by now."

"York, this is Joshua we're talking about," Hugh stated, getting to his feet and dusting himself off while Cassian grumbled in defeat on the ground below. "The guy can't forget anything that involves one of his experiments. I case in point the talking Popo head."

"Okay, let's not get into that mess again," the one-eyed hunter said quickly, waving his hand to change the subject.

While the older hunters continued to converse with each other, Wes spared a glance back and saw his mother, Snow, Viper, and a fourth hunter –Jango, he thought- moving a few boxes up the docks towards the remainder of the group. Wes elected to take the chest from Rose so his mother could catch up with the others as well, and he and the others dragged the item boxes back towards Hugh's carriage. It seemed like there was enough space on the roof behind the lion figurehead to stack them and tie them down, which they did in almost no time. The apprentice seemed to catch sight of someone he knew afterwards, though, and went off to greet them, leaving the three Corps members to themselves.

"Gotta say, you definitely come from a lively bunch of people," Viper smirked, glancing over at the faux-wrestling match that was still occurring behind them. "The younger ones got potential, that's for sure. Never heard someone shove their arm down a Ludroth's throat _before _becoming a licensed hunter, at least. …And considering his dad's the guy that tossed Hades like a sack of potatoes, I guess I'm not surprised."

"They all seem pretty nice!" Snow added. "Cass and Ilia even asked if we could go watch them at the exam tomorrow!"

"Really? I guess you made an impression on them after all! Are you two planning on going then?"

"If Balestra doesn't decide to throw a job on my lap, then definitely," the archer replied, while Snow nodded in agreement. "It's been awhile since I've seen a few good arena fights."

"Awesome! …But now that I think about it, I'm not sure if we can all sit together. My Pa said he got some reserved seats and only had so many tickets. I think he said something about having one extra in his letter, but that was it."

"Ah, no need to worry about it. Guy's gotta get some family time every now and then, right?" Viper grinned, running a hand through the hair covering his right eye, which quickly fell back into place.

"Yeah, we can get seats somewhere else. Hopefully they haven't sold out yet; I hear the arena's been getting really busy lately. Wasn't there some talk about new species being imported or something?"

"I think so, actually. What was that one I heard about the other day? Gypceros? Some kinda poisonous rubber turkey thing. Never seen one before in my life."

"Think there's a chance they might be holding a few other species for the exam itself, bow boy?"

"Wouldn't be a surprise if they were. I mean, let's face it; the flow of information around the country is amazing. People can name every native species before they're ten years old, and maybe even a few legends too."

"Come to think of it, a lot of books I had contained a lot of info about foreign species too," Wes mused. "I thought I'd heard about Gypceros' before. Well, maybe we'll be seeing some new monsters tomorrow!"

"Hopefully! Well, it looks to me like your family's waiting for you now, Wes," Snow pointed out, gesturing over his shoulder towards them. "Viper, let's head back to HQ. I'm sure he's got a lot of catching up to do."

"Right, sure thing. Take it easy, bud!"

Wes said his good-byes to the pair as they waved and headed off back towards the Corps district before turning back to the group gathered on the docks. Hugh and Cass had once again gotten into small tussle, though the younger hunter had gained the upper hand this time and was about to pin Hugh down. The others were still looking on in amusement as Wes approached, coming to a stop beside his father.

"They're good people, Wes," York said after a moment, nodding his head towards the direction Snow and Viper had departed in. "I'm glad to see you're branching out a bit more. Books and magazines only go so far, right?"

"You can say that again. Not that I regret spending time studying monsters, of course. But… yeah, it's nicer having a few more people I can trust. Just gotta make sure they can trust me right back."

"Now you're thinking like a real hunter."

"Whattya mean by that? Not sure it gets much more real than the Corps, Pa."

"That's a piece of advice for another time," his father chuckled, patting his shoulder. "For now, I think we ought to get our asses in gear and head over to our lodging for the night."

"Yeah, about that, wouldn't it have been smarter to show up a few days ahead of time to reserve a spot at an inn or something? The day ahead of time doesn't seem like a good plan."

"It is when you're old friends with an incredibly rich man who owns a house big enough for fifty people to live inside. Plenty of space, and it's completely free. Not to mention it's a straight walk to the arena."

"Good point. So, should we head off then? All the luggage is loaded up."

"Sounds like a plan to me."

While Hugh and Cass continued to wrestle each other, York quietly ushered the group towards the man's carriage, waiting for the others to get in while he kept an eye on the pair. As he was getting in, Wes noticed that Trance was hurriedly making his way after Snow and Viper, while his younger sibling was waving after him. He afforded himself a slight chuckle at the sight; Trance always did seem to be in a rush.

York was the last one into the carriage, shifting past Rose's seat beside Wes and taking his place at the helm of the wagon, where a large open slot allowed the driver to see what was in front of them from above the Aptonoth's back. Wes had to admit, the inside was almost as opulent as the outside, with plushy red velvet seats and gold trimmings all around, as well as a number of windows next to each pair of seats. Despite there being more than half a dozen people inside, there was still enough room for them all to be comfortable.

"Hugh! Cassian!" York called out the window, bringing the great sword users' tussle to an abrupt end. "Thanks for the ride back! We'll see you at your place!"

"Waitwaitwait, York, don't you even think abou-!"

The one-eyed hunter didn't even wait for the man to finish his reply before lashing the reigns with a short yell, driving the Aptonoth leading the wagon into a steady trot and pulling the carriage along at a brisk pace. Wes and the others erupted into laughter as the Leovirtus' immediately dropped their fight and began to pursue them, shouting for them to hold up a moment. York made sure to keep the wagon going at a speed just above a light jog, so it wasn't difficult for the two to catch up and climb aboard, and though they voiced their objections to the blue-eyed hunter high jacking the carriage, eventually they broke out wide grins of their own and laughed it off.

Wes had to admit, it felt like home.

* * *

"Ah c'mon, why you gotta shoot me down like that, Snow?" Viper griped as the pair continued on down the road towards the Corps district. "Just gimme one chance, and I swear it'll be the best date of your life."

"I'm sorry Viper, I'm just not really interested in dating anyone," the white-haired huntress laughed sheepishly. "Plus, I'm kind of a weird lady. I don't think you'd like trying to get to know me _that _well."

"But weird people are fun! Just look at me!"

"I didn't say they weren't, but there are many different types of weird, Viper. I'm just the kind that isn't exactly a 'normal' weird."

"…What does that even mean?"

"It's like… oh, just forget it. It'd take too long to explain it all. Let's just say I'm really not looking for a relationship and leave it at that, okay?"

"But… but that makes no sense at all! Guys have been approaching you left and right all week, and you haven't even been interested in _one _of them?! Or, if I can be picky, _me?!"_

"Not really, no," she shrugged. "None of them are my type. And before you say it, no, Wes isn't my type either."

"You gotta be kidding me…" the archer mumbled, hanging his head slightly out of disappointment. "Wait, then what type _does _suit you? Now that I think about it, you haven't said a thing about that the entire time I've known you."

"That's for me to know and for you to never find out," Snow replied coyly, winking at the yellow-eyed man as he grumpily sighed again. "It's not like I'd be that great of a choice anyways. There are plenty other women in the Corps, let alone the entirety of Loc Lac. I've seen you with a bunch of them before, even."

"You… You're kidding, right? You're telling me you haven't heard any of the rumors or anything?"

"…Rumors?"

"Yeah, like the ones where a bunch of the guys got together and held a vote for who the most attractive woman in the Corps was?"

"Oh! Oh, right, I think the girls did something similar to that a while ago…"

"Wait, really? Where did I place?"

"I don't know, I just kinda sat there and ate the food a few of them brought. One of them had these a-mazing Popo Tongues, and… er, yeah. Kinda was focused on that."

"Aww man… Well, anyways, you were unanimously voted in as number one on the list. Hell, it wasn't even a discussion, everyone just nodded their heads."

"Well, I'm flattered by the compliment, but that still doesn't change my mind. I'm still perfectly okay with being friends, though!"

"Jeez, you're going to become the biggest heartbreaker in the country with an attitude like that… Ah, whatever. There are plenty of other fish in the sea, after all."

"There's the Viper I know," she laughed as they stepped onto the grounds of the Master Corps.

Viper stayed alongside her for a few moments longer, though he made his way back into the building itself while she continued on towards the medical ward to check up on how Frost was doing. Her path led her past the training yard, though she didn't really stop to watch anyone. Sure enough, she could feel a lot of eyes on her as she strode on by, as well as a few _thwacks _as a few hunters took advantage of their sparring partners' distracted states to land free hits.

While it concerned her to have so much attention on her, Snow was glad that it was for her looks rather than her nature as a Hybrid. That was mostly the reason she rejected all of the advances towards her, in fact: as a Hybrid, she just didn't feel anything romantic towards humans. This just made things easier on her, though. Apparently a lot of humans had told tall tales about monsters becoming human and falling for a strapping hunter, but they always had really bad endings. She wasn't one to judge either, but the writing usually seemed rather poor as well.

As she continued, though, a flash of orange caught her eye. Turning her gaze, her vision happened upon the burning remains of a practice dummy breaking against the ground, the wood quickly charring into a mass of blackened coal from the intense heat of the flames. Standing above the blazing mass was Arroyo, his Silver Rathalos long sword resting across his shoulder. The man in Sand Barioth armor brought his foot up to the target and rested the orange plates on the dummy before stomping his foot straight through it, breaking the dummy clean in half and sending a whirlwind of embers and sand into the air.

Something about the display caught her attention in particular, though. Arroyo was never short on lighting his targets on fire –if anything, everyone had gotten used to it by now- but there was something about that little dust devil… It looked like a completely natural, but there was just… _something _about it that made her raise an eyebrow.

She continued to walk along towards the ward, keeping her aside glance on Arroyo as he slowly removed his helmet to survey his work. A head of shaggy black hair appeared from beneath the orange helm, though many tufts of the man's hair were seemingly dyed a reddish-orange tint. She'd actually never seen him without his helmet off, come to think of it; she knew he didn't wear it as often as Frost, but the man always practiced with it on, and she'd only been on a single hunt with him. She was surprised, though, when the man turned his head in her direction, locking eyes with her for a moment as a sly smirk spread across his lips.

Snow felt her heart skip a beat the moment she saw his green eyes. She barely contained a gasp as she realized just what that dust devil was. Arroyo was always a bit showy with the pyrotechnics, but it always seemed like his sword was what did all of the work. The way the embers seemed to carry the sand into that little cyclone of air, though… She wasn't quite sure how she would've been able to, but just locking eyes with the man for half a second was enough to convince her of what she saw.

Arroyo was a Hybrid too.

The man watched her for a moment, a knowing smile on his face, before turning back to another dummy he had set up and pulling his helmet back on, obscuring his face once again. Snow shifted her gaze away from the orange-coated man and quickened her stride towards the ward, her mind racing frantically.

_How did I not see it before? There was another Hybrid hiding in the Corps this entire time! What reason could he possibly have for it? If it's anything like my brother and I, things aren't looking as good as I thought. I need to tell Frost right now. None of this looks good at all…_

* * *

Ruby let out a low breath as she approached the door to her father's office, striding past the guard seated beside the entrance and rapping her knuckles against the door. She heard the Corps Head reply from within, and stepped inside, shutting the door behind her. She stepped forwards, noting just how worn and aged her father appeared. Clearly the stress of managing the Master Corps and the frequent meetings with the city council had been taking their toll on him. Shaking those thoughts out of her head, the red-haired woman cleared her throat as Balestra glanced up at her expectantly with his crimson eyes.

"I'm here to report the success of our most recent assignment, Sir."

"Very well, continue," Balestra replied flatly, his stern gaze remaining as unwavering as ever.

"Myself and the other Gems were successful in locating the Savage Deviljho that's been causing immense damage to the Sandy Plain's ecosystem. While circumstances did prevent us from slaying the beast, I am… _pleased _to report that we were instead able to detain it, as was the wish of Professors Parry and Joshua. The Deviljho should be arriving at the waystation just outside of the city sometime tonight before being transferred into a proper container in the Underpass. We suffered minimal injuries in the process, and there were no towns or settlements disturbed by the conflict. So, all in all, it was a completely successful operation."

"That is good to hear. I will have Mr. Trance or Mr. Corrin fill out a proper report once either of them return from their break. Studies have not yet been properly conducted of a brute such as this, which I am certain enthuses Mr. Joshua's department to no end. Perhaps they may even uncover the reason as to why the Savage mutation occurs within the species. Whatever that may be, you and your team have done well today."

"Thank you, Sir. Are there any other assignments you have for us specifically?" Ruby asked, resting her arm on the handle of her hammer and shifting her weight to the left, trying to hide the fact that her right leg was injured beneath the red Volvidon plating. It hurt like hell, but this wasn't a place she allowed herself to show any sign of weakness.

"There is indeed an… occurrence that is transpiring east of here," the black-uniformed man stated, slowly pushing himself to his feet and walking off to the left, his hands folded neatly behind his back. "The details are still quite vague, but it is a matter of the utmost importance to the Guild. Completing this would potentially appease their incessant need to inspect every happening of the Corps. To 'get them off my back', so to speak."

"What kind of mission are we talking about? Expedition, hunt, defense-?"

"Extraction, Ms. Ruby."

The huntress blinked in surprise. "An extraction? Those haven't even been officially listed yet. What made them change their minds?"

"A very dire circumstance that Mr. Calistro and the other members of the Guild hierarchy are neglecting to inform me with. However, they have stated that it will be a job that requires a substantially larger group of hunters than a typical job. I believe they stated specifically that they would require eight Corps hunters for this task."

"Two teams? That seems a little excessive. Not even a Jhen Mohran attack usually requires more than a ship with four hunters aboard to drive it off."

"Indeed. I fear that whatever task they have prepared will require the absolute best the Master Corps has to offer, though."

"Well, I can see why you'd want the Gems and I assigned to the job," Ruby said, bringing her arms up in an exaggerated shrug and allowing herself a slightly prideful smirk. "So, who are the other four you're thinking about roping into this? Probably a group that can actually work together effectively, yeah?"

"Correct. Which is why I'm planning for Mr. Wes' team to accompany you."

Ruby's voice caught in her throat just before she could reply, her eyes widening and her lips curling into a snarl.

"Wes' team? Why the hell would I want my group to work alongside that idiot?! He nearly got two of my girls killed! I _specifically _said I wanted nothing to do with him!"

"If you must know," Balestra sighed, turning his head away from the woman, keeping his tone stoic and flat as usual, contrasting heavily with Ruby's angered inflection, "they are an even mix of skill sets that leads to a balanced team capable of handling most situations, quite similar to the Gems. They show a significant bond between them as well, a bond that inspires them to succeed when united. I've seen this on a number of different missions they've been together on, as few and far between as those may have been. Even teams comprising of two or three of them tend to be much more effective than ones with only a single one of them amidst unfamiliar faces. Coupled with their individually impressive abilities, it stands to reason that-"

"Bloody hell anything stands to reason!" Ruby blurted out, cutting the man off as she took a step forwards. "That weird-eyed prick is nothing but a hazard to me and my team! Every time he's been on a hunt with me, something has gone wrong, and almost always it was because of him screwing around and trying to show off! That same attitude almost got Amethyst and Sapphire killed! There is a reason I demanded not to ever be put on a team with him again, and-!"

"You forget who precisely is in charge of the Master Corps, Ruby."

The red-haired woman flinched slightly at her father's remark, which despite its usual tone still had some degree of venom to it. The man turned to face her, taking slow, meticulous steps towards her as he continued to speak.

"I agreed to your demand at the time due to a number of factors, Mr. Wes' attitude being but one of them. Truly, it was more of a way to keep you from complaining about necessary sacrifices and potentially attacking the boy. It is clear to see that you hold much contempt for him, but you are turning it into an obsession that clouds your judgment and prevents you from seeing the bigger picture.

"Mr. Wes works exceedingly well alongside Mr. Viper, Ms. Snow, and Mr. Frost. Not only that, but he also has a close relationship with Ms. Sapphire, and gets along quite well with Ms. Amethyst. Even Ms. Emerald has since begun to drop her attitude towards him, and she's often seen as more fiery than you are, considering her… preferences.

"Yet it seems you are still completely unwilling to move on and drop the subject," he stated, coming to a stop directly in front of the huntress, standing eye-to-eye with her. "Like it or not, it is not up to you to decide what is best for each mission, or even who shall accompany whom on each job. You are not any more special than the other seventy-nine members of the Master Corps, nor should you expect any sort of privileges because of our relationship. Mr. Wes will accompany you on this mission, and you will _not _incite a childish fuss over my decision. Am I clear?"

"But that's not-!"

"Am. I. Clear. Miss Ruby."

The hammer-wielder looked furiously into the man's eyes, every fiber of her being wishing for nothing more than to chew his head off with a long winded rant about how much she hated his guts. The only thing that kept her from doing just that was the knowledge that doing so would only prove his point further. After a few moments, she turned her head aside and crossed her arms.

"Fine. If that's the sort of respect I get for everything I've done for you, then fine. I'll play along. But so help me, if any of the Gems are hurt because of him, I'll hold you just as accountable as that jackass Wes."

The huntress turned around fully and began to stride towards the door then, not even pausing to wait for a response from the Corps Head. Just as she grasped the handle of the door, though, she turned her head to the side once more, keeping her face hidden from his view.

"Oh, and by the way? Thanks a lot for remembering my birthday, _father._"

With that, the red-armored huntress stormed out of the man's office, past the guard outside the door, down the numerous flights of stairs and through the few groups of hunters she came across, all the way into her room, where she slammed the door shut and locked it tight, angrily throwing off various bits of her armor around the room in her fury. Pictures and books tumbled off the shelves as she carelessly struck them with the red plates, letting out a long string of curses as she slammed her injured leg into the table beside her bed and a jolt of pain shot up her limb. Eventually, the red-haired woman collapsed face first into her bed, the pillows and sheets drowning out the sounds of her uncontrollable sobs and soaking up the tears that began flowing from her eyes the second she latched her door shut. After several minutes of this, she eventually screamed into the mattress, partly out of anger but mostly out of sadness:

"Why can't I have a real father?!"

It took the huntress several more minutes to compose herself, and she eventually sat up in her bed, wiping the wetness from her face away. Her gaze happened upon the table in the corner of her room, where she would usually sit with the other Gems while having their usual strategy meetings together. Normally, she kept it bare, but she was surprised to see that there was a trio of wrapped boxes resting upon it now, which she had completely missed when entering her room. One was colored green, a smaller one blue, and the largest of the three was purple. A few notes were attached to the tops as well, and Ruby curiously got to her feet, made her way to the table, and plucked the one off the top of the blue box.

'_Hey, Rube! I gotcha something nice for your B-day! Hope it can put a smile on your face!'_

_-Saph_

_P.S. Emmy, Ammy and I all pitched in and got a reservation at a nice restaurant for us to celebrate! I made sure that they have all your favorites too! We'll be by later to go out, so make sure you got something nice to wear!_

Despite herself, Ruby couldn't help but smile lightly at her friend's cramped note. Before opening the gifts, she decided she might as well read the others' notes as well. She moved onto the green box next, taking hold of the small tag and reading the messy handwriting.

'_Hey girl, Happy Birthday! Here's a kickass gift from yours truly! Make sure you try to laugh a little once you see it! You really outta do that more, y'know?'_

_-Emmy_

"Thanks for the reminder, Emerald…" she whispered, setting the note down before moving onto the final one.

'_Hey. Happy Birthday. I got you fifty pairs of socks and a square watermelon with a funny face on it. I included a yellow wig so you could pretend it was Wes' head and smash it with your hammer. Or you could just eat it if you're feeling boring. _

_-Amethyst_

The huntress couldn't help but laugh at her purple-haired friend's note. It was just so like her, yet even despite how strange and aloof she normally acted, she still cared a lot about her. They all did. Ruby was aware of the way she acted around them; she always tried to remain so professional and proper. She supposed that was one of the negative parts she got from her father…

"…Know what? Screw him. I don't need father to make today special. I've already got everyone I need."

* * *

**Author Notes: Please review! Man, it's been too long since I posted a chapter, hasn't it? Despite my busier schedule though, I have been keeping up on my writing. It's just going into a few other side projects as well. I have three Supplementary Chapters in the workings, and another one completed! I'm posting both this and that simultaneously, so be sure to check it out: it's a Halloween themed chapter, after all, just in time for the holiday! ****I'm actually thinking about doing a few other holiday themed "special" chapters if this one is liked enough. I'd definitely appreciate your input!**

**So, I got around to buying Tri Force Heroes a while ago, and I gotta say, I'm surprised by how good it is! So far I've only been able to reliably play the single player for it, since the connection I usually get with others is kinda bad. Still, it survived long enough for me to at least win a battle! Message me if you want to play sometime, since I'm always up for a game or two! Same holds true for Smash Bros. and Monster Hunter (though I've been playing a lot less of MH lately, I'm sad to say).**

**So, I realized that perhaps part of the reason some of the reviews I've been getting aren't very detailed or asking as many questions as I'd like is because I keep on elaborating certain parts in the author notes. So, unless it's something big, I'm going to try to avoid telling anything else after the final line up there. Gotta let my readers think for themselves, after all.**

**Ah, and I've finally begun watching a number of shows recently! My "Watching" status below can finally be used for something aside from stupid jokes!**

**And that about covers everything this go around! Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and I'll see you next time, faithful readers! Happy Halloween!**

**Playing: MH4U, Super Smash Bros., Tri Force Heroes**

**Listening to: Avenged Sevenfold, The Offspring **

**Watching: Sunday Without God, Noragami, Barakamon**

**Reading: TLC: Shadows of the Past by dashboardgecko**


	26. Initiation

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 26: Initiation

Sapphire excitedly pulled the white fur cap of her Lagombi armor onto her head as she crossed her room to where her sword and shield rested, slinging the blue metal plate over her shoulder and sheathing the blade on the back of her waist. Her thoughts were filled with nothing but the events of the day ahead as she looked at the mirror in front of her, making sure she looked as good as possible.

_I can't believe he finally asked! _She thought excitedly.

She had run into Wes the night before as he was returning from visiting with his family, who had arrived to watch a few of his friends take part in the Hunter's Examination. Though it was clear he had an extremely hard time spitting it out, he had sheepishly mentioned a spare ticket and asked if she wanted to sit with him and his family at the event, something she couldn't have been happier to agree to.

_This is the first time he's ever come to me about something like this too! After seeing him with Snow so much, I was starting to worry he liked her more than me… I need to make sure I make a good impression on him and his family so she doesn't steal him away from me! …Gosh, did I really just think that?_

Returning her attention to her reflection, Saph couldn't help but compare herself to Snow. It just seemed like she had everything: amazing looks, great body, fun personality, and a really elegant fighting style. Sapphire just felt completely average, even lackluster in comparison. Not that she blamed herself for that, but she just wished that Snow wasn't so close to Wes all the time. The two had been together so much, rumors were spreading about them even being a couple, though Wes himself fervently denied that being the case.

It didn't make her feel any better that Snow was so _nice _to her all the time either. She was always trying to take on a sisterly role towards Sapphire whenever they were together. Saph didn't necessarily dislike the huntress for it, but it made her feel guilty to consider Snow a rival for Wes' affections when she was acting so nice about it all. She had to try and keep herself under control whenever they met, since her mere presence made Sapphire worry that her tongue would slip and she'd say something wrong.

Catching herself from thinking too much further into it, though, the huntress forced a smile onto her lips and turned her thoughts elsewhere. Today was technically her and Wes' first 'real' date! He hadn't really _said _it was a date, and sure, his family would be there too, but who knew whether or not what happened today might lead into something else later on. And, most importantly, Wes has asked _her, _not Snow, to come along. That idea alone was enough to relax her mind.

A light rapping on the door drew her attention away from the mirror.

"Hey, Saph, you about ready to go?" she heard Wes ask from the other side. "The exam starts in about an hour, and my Pa said he wanted to meet up before we went inside."

"Sorry, I'll just be a minute!" she replied eagerly, darting over to her table and grabbing her pouch. It was a tradition for hunters to garb themselves in their armor and weapons on the day of the Hunter's Exam, to act as an inspiration to the young apprentices and trainees on the arena floor and welcome them into the world of hunters. Not to mention that being cheered on by a crowd of people wearing all manner of armor and weapons was one of the greatest sights an aspiring hunter or huntress could look up and see.

Simply recalling the other times she'd seen the examination take place brought a smile to her face, but one memory did the exact opposite. She felt her expression fall slightly at the thought of him, but a moment later she shook her head free of any negative thoughts. She couldn't let those get to her today. She had to move on. Breathing a quick sigh, the huntress made sure she was finished getting her things together and stepped out into the hallway where Wes stood waiting for her, garbed in his newly-arrived armor set.

The mere sight of the hunter in the set practically made her heart skip a beat. True enough, it really did suit him; the dark blue plates softly reflected the light of the glowstone lamps around them, while the polished, gold-handled rapier at his side shone like a tiny sun. The blue cloth of the set was complemented by the white fur tufts that jutted out of a few spots on the set, especially around the hunter's torso and neck. She noticed a few small differences in the set from when she saw it in the store: the hunter's legs seemed to be a little less armored, though in exchange the plating looked a lot less restrictive. His gloves were also mail-backed instead of the entirely metal ones the set had originally come with. Lastly, and perhaps most notably, a large dark blue hood, similar in color to the rest of the cloth parts of the set was attached at the neck of his suit, and was resting just behind Wes' head. It looked as though the same white fur used in the other parts of his set was also used to line the hood.

"Wow, that looks great on you, Wes!" Saph complimented, admiring the suit and leaning in closer to get a closer look at it.

"Y-you think so?" he stuttered, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. "I was kinda iffy on a few bits here and there, but I mean, I don't look like a clown, right?"

"Nah, it really fits you well! …I mean the armor, not the clown look."

"Er, right, haha. Alright, let's get a move on then," Wes said, taking a few steps towards the stairwell. "No need to keep Pa waiting, right?"

"I'm right beside you!"

* * *

About twenty minutes later, Wes and Sapphire arrived on top of one of the buildings surrounding the Loc Lac arena. The crowds below were positively massive; moving through them on the ground wouldn't have been nearly as fast, so the pair instead took to the rooftops, as Sapphire had no trouble keeping up with Wes' speed with her incredible jumping abilities.

"Gotta say, running on the rooftops makes it much more fun to get around!" the huntress laughed. "I don't know why I didn't try to do it sooner!"

"It's just a good thing the crowds are so focused on what's in front of them that they're keeping their eyes ahead," Wes smirked. "We'd be attracting a lot of attention otherwise, and… well, I'm not really keen on showing off anymore."

"Oh, so the spotlight got a little too bright then?" she teased, lightly elbowing him. "I'm just joking around, I know you've learned your lesson!"

"Yeah, yeah, that isn't really helping me forget about all that, y'know! Man, I can never catch a break, can I?"

"That runs in the family, Wes."

Sapphire yelped and jumped in surprise while Wes turned his head to the side, seeing his father standing right behind them. He hadn't heard York approach- after all, he didn't take the nickname 'Mr. Sneaky' lightly- but Wes had grown used to his father's stealthy approaches, enough to train himself to not give York the reaction he wanted. A minor victory, as far as Wes was concerned. Still, York seemed satisfied enough with startling Sapphire this time.

"You say that about everything, Pa," Wes remarked, turning to face the man.

He raised his eyebrows as he looked over his father's new armor; it was much different from his old suit, that was for sure. The majority of his outfit was still white, and included long coattails and a beaked hood that was pulled down at the moment, but that was as far as the similarities went. For one, York had actual armor plates on now. A spiked metal pauldron was strapped to his left shoulder, decorated with an orange stripe running down the middle, and two metal plates were strapped to the front of either of his brown boots. A large metal plate decorated with a large insignia was fastened to his stomach by the black buckles that wrapped around the man's back, further supported by a strap that ran from its center up and around his left shoulder. Attached to that strap was the silvery dagger he usually carried with him. His forearms were covered by similarly-colored metallic bracers, bearing designs similar to the man's torso armor. Attached to his bracers around the elbows were large rings of metal, which each had an orange metal blade attached for use in close quarters fighting. A few other belts were wrapped around York's right arm, waist, and torso, most of them carrying throwing knives. York's swords were slung across his back, over his right shoulder.

"Huh, I guess you weren't kidding about that new set, Pa. Looks pretty tough!"

"I'll admit, yours isn't too shabby either," York laughed as he crossed his arms. "I can tell that it's well made. The craftsman might even have skills rivaling mine. Maybe. I take it the hood doesn't come standard though?"

"Nah, had to get it customized. Worth every zenni."

"Agreed. Now then, this must be that Sapphire girl you were telling me about, right? Your girlfriend?"

"Ack! Pa! I-I told you it's not like that!" the dual blade wielder defended, his face reddening in embarrassment. He spared a quick glance to the side and saw that Saph's face was just as red, if not more so. "Do you want Ma to kill me or something?! After all those lectures she made me sit through, I-"

"Wes, relax a little, would ya?" York chuckled, patting his shoulder. "Why do you think I said that when she wasn't around? _I'd _never hear the end of it either! Still, a father's gotta have some fun, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, alright," Wes replied, rolling his eyes but affording himself a light chuckle to regain his composure a little. "A-anyways, yeah, this is Sapphire. Saph, this is my pa."

"I-it's nice to meet you, sir!" she stuttered, bowing respectfully towards him. "I've heard a lot about you from Wes! He's a great friend and a good hunter and I'm very grateful you're willing to have me along today and-"

"Does she always act like this?" York mumbled, leaning over towards Wes as the huntress prattled on, still bowing.

"Eh… Only when she's nervous," Wes replied quietly, scratching the side of his head. "And by that, I mean really, really nervous."

"Heh, guess you really do know how to pick 'em. Just like your old man!"

"_Pa!"_

"Kidding, kidding!"

"-and so I really appreciate all the trouble you're going through for me and I will do whatever I can to repay you and I promise that I won't disappoint and if at all possible I would like to know if-"

"Hahah, easy there, kiddo!" York laughed, cutting the huntress off. "You keep spewing air out of your lungs like that and you'll choke on the spot! It's not a problem, really, no need to repay me."

_Huh. Pa usually jumps at that offer, _Wes thought.

_Guess he doesn't feel like ripping off his son's girlfriend._

_Oh, don't you start with that too, Silver!_

"Though, come to think of it," the older man continued, "I feel like I know you from somewhere, Sapphire. Have we met before?"

"Huh? Uh… I don't think so," the blue-haired huntress replied with a questioning look on her face. "Why do you ask, sir?"

"Ah, never mind then, guess I'm still on the road towards becoming senile. And please, don't go calling me 'sir'. Makes me feel even older than I already am. Just York is fine, Sapphire."

"O-oh, my apologies, si- uh, York!"

"Alright Pa, how about we head inside now?" Wes asked, pointing a thumb over his shoulder. "I don't think we should keep Ma waiting much longer than we have to, after all."

"Good point. Fortunately for you, I was able to pull a few strings with the Guild and get a specially reserved spot in the arena for us that doesn't even need the main entrance to get to. C'mon, I'll show you both in! Just… try not to get lost in the crowd, alright? I won't tell your mother if you want to hold her hand, Wes."

"_Pa!"_

With a short chuckle, York leapt down from the rooftop, and after sharing a hopeless glance and a sigh, Wes and Sapphire followed after him. The three made their way through the thick crowds of hunters and civilians milling towards the coliseum-like structure, towards the western side of the structure. There were far fewer people around there, save for a few people trying to circumvent the crowds and a couple Guild officers standing by a restricted entrance. They tensed up as the three drew near, but York waved them off and passed between them, while Wes and Saph followed just a step behind.

"It really helps having friends in high places, y'know?" York grinned as the guards returned to their positions, having recognized him as a guest. "I got a lot of favors in with the Guild, after all. It'd be a shame not to use 'em."

"What'd you do to get so many favors?" Sapphire asked curiously, tilting her head and looking up at the man.

"Well… Let's just say I helped solve a big problem a long time ago and leave it at that."

The group rounded a corner and found themselves at the base of a tall staircase leading into the stands of the arena, which they quickly ascended. Wes brought his hand up to block the sun as they stepped into the bright light outside, though it was hardly comparable to the nearly deafening roar of those seated in the stands. Countless hunters wearing all manner of armor sets were present, as well as an equally large amount of civilians who just came to watch the occasion. The Hunter's Examination was one of the busiest times of the year, after all: the fact that the arena was this packed didn't really shock him that much.

Still, Wes had to cover his ears with both hands to try and drown out the noise of the crowd. It was almost as bad as a monster's roar in there! Sapphire found herself in a similar circumstance as he did, though she was lucky enough to have the earmuffs built into her helmet to drown out a little more of the noise. York tapped them both on the shoulder and held out his hand, and upon inspection, Wes noticed that he was holding two pairs of earplugs. The hunters took them and put them both in immediately, and Wes sighed a breath of relief as the noise was heavily muffled by the plugs.

"Better?"

Wes blinked in surprise at his father's voice. He sounded the same as he did before, even though Wes had the earplugs in! Sapphire seemed just as confused as he did, and actually glanced around in surprise at the York's statement.

"Hah! Now that's the reaction I was hoping for!"

"Pa? What the hell are these things? Why can we still hear you just fine?"

"These are Disposable Earplugs of my own make," York explained. "They're meant to replicate the abilities of the earplugs that are built into some helmets to block out loud noises. So, you don't need a specific helmet to block out roars and such with these. The… actual science behind them are still kind of a mystery to me, but they basically dampen sounds above a certain frequency. We should still be able to hear each other just fine."

"Wait, you don't even _know _how they work? Then how the hell did you make them?!"

"It's a small project that I've been working on with Joshua's help. Involved lots of mail. You want to hear twenty pages worth of the exact details of sound frequency and decibels and how those effect the eardrums? Go ask him."

"That's incredible!" Sapphire exclaimed. "These things would be a huge hit with hunters everywhere! You ought to sell them or something!"

"Well, they're still only prototypes," he admitted. "I can only get them to work for a couple hours or so at most, and they'll break if certain monsters roar too close to you- don't ask me how I field tested that. Once Joshua and I perfect them, they'll be worth it, but until then… Hope you don't mind helping test them out!"

_Jeez, again with the guinea pigging? _Silver scoffed. _And here I thought that after testing out that Triblade these past few days we'd be done with experiments._

_Don't be a baby. Besides, these are keeping all that noise from getting into my head, and that means you don't have to deal with any of the damage that might do. You ought to be thankful, Silver!_

_Thankful? Oh, trust me, I'm thankful, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to be snarky with you._

_Oh really?_

Wes reached up to his ear and plucked one of the earplugs out, wincing slightly as the roar of the crowd once again filled his ears, almost deafening him.

_Aieieie! Cut that out, asshole! Not funny!_

_You going to be snarky with me now, hotshot?_

_Fine, you win, just put the damn earplug back in already!_

Wes smirked victoriously as he did just that before following after his father and Sapphire. A small area surrounded by a short wall contained a number of seats, many of which had been filled by Wes' family. His mother, uncles, and aunts were all there, as well as Dustin and Sal the liaison. He greeted them as the trio entered the enclosed space, and Wes noted that almost everyone else was wearing a set of York's earplugs as well. He must've prepared a big supply for this!

After introducing Sapphire (and deflecting his mother's scrutinizing gaze as best he could), Wes took a seat at the end of the row between Dustin and Sapphire. He hadn't been paying much attention earlier, but he then noticed that the sandship captain was cradling a young girl in his arms. She barely even looked three years old. Still, Wes was relieved that York had prepared even baby-sized earplugs for her.

"That your kid, Dustin?" he asked. "I never knew you had a daughter."

"You didn't? I thought your dad would've filled you in on that little bit of information," Dustin chuckled. "Then again, it's just like him to forget little tidbits like that. Anyways, this is Kari! Say 'hi' to Wes!"

"You big butthead!"

"…We're still working on that, I'm afraid."

"I guess I'm just not that great with kids," Wes sighed, though he laughed a moment later. "Still, she definitely has spirit if she's already calling a fully armed and armored hunter a butthead."

"Honestly I don't quite know where she gets it from. Sal and I were never quite that excitable, even when we were younger. Hopefully it'll improve with age."

"It never does!" Hugh called from a few seats over.

"Quiet, you! Just because your kid turned out to be crazy doesn't mean mine will too!"

"Alright, that's about enough arguing out of you two," Sal said, taking Kari from Dustin's arms. She was wearing normal clothing for once: Wes had never seen her without her usual Guild outfit on, so it was almost stunning how different she looked with her hair down. "I swear, those Leovirtus' are all just as rowdy and boisterous as always."

"Just be thankful Lyle couldn't make it. Remember the last time Hugh, Cassian, and him all got together? I've never even seen a three-person arm wrestling match before then, and frankly I'd never like to again."

"Lyle? He was supposed to be here?" Wes asked. "Why couldn't he make it?"

"Apparently Balestra finally cracked down on him to actually do his job instead of just sitting around drinking all day, so he's on guard duty below the arena. He's the one letting the monsters out into the arena."

"That… seems like something he'd enjoy. So is that why there was an extra ticket for Sapphire here?"

"Hello again!" she added, leaning over and waving with a somewhat awkward smile on her face.

"You got it," Dustin replied, returning the huntress' wave with a light smile. "I think his exact words were 'I'd love to see some of them new kids getting tossed around out there, but knowing that I'll be throwing the beasties at 'em will be just as fun'."

"Speaking of that, look! They're bringing the examinees out," Zephyr said, pointing down into the arena proper. Sure enough, the large gates on the right side of the field were creaking open, and the hunters-to-be were stepping out into the sunlight in rows of four. Wes counted ten rows in total, meaning there were forty apprentice hunters in total.

_That's quite a few more than there were at my exam, _he thought, scanning the heads for Cassian and Iliana.

_That's because you took the expert-level single's exam, remember? No teams allowed there. At least, not on the hunter's side._

_I'm just glad those Raths weren't particularly fond of each other. It was easy enough to lure them into blasting each other with fireballs, but if they had actually been mates? Hoo boy, I'd have been in for it then._

_Hmph. I'm impressed. You actually admitted that you could've failed._

_To myself, sure. I'm still going to be a little proud of that accomplishment, Silver. Regardless of any handicaps, taking down two Raths isn't easy._

_Yeah, yeah, just so long as you aren't letting it get to your head again, bucko._

"Ladies and gentlemen, hunters and huntresses! May I have your attention please!" a voice boomed throughout the stadium, and Wes heard the muffled cheers and roars die down. He glanced over at the announcer's platform, as did the rest of the stadium. He couldn't really tell who it was at this distance, but he saw about half a dozen figures beneath the awning above the platform.

"Say, isn't that Balestra?" Sapphire whispered to him, pointing to the figure on the far right. Wes squinted his eyes to try and see better, and while he still couldn't make out the Corps Head's face, his black uniform and telling stance gave him away. "What's he doing here?"

"Maybe headhunting? I know a few hunters get sponsored by the big name companies, but the Master Corps is a new height for hunters to reach. Perhaps he's looking for promising newcomers… Or something like that."

"We are now ready to begin this year's Hunter's Examination!" the announcer continued. "From across the country of Venatoria and beyond, this event has brought together not only a truly colorful audience, but an all-star array of prodigal souls waiting for their shot at entering the world of monster hunting! Forty young and bright-eyed examinees will take their chances today against new, fantastical creatures that many in these parts have never even seen before!

"But, before we can truly kick off the ceremony, first we must welcome the new bloods with an old tradition here in Loc Lac. Hunters, huntresses! I believe you all know what to do here!"

At the announcer's cue, every armored individual in the stands rose to their feet and took a step forwards, causing what sounded like a single massive stomp to reverberate throughout the enclosed space. Wes, along with all the other hunters, clenched his right fist and beat it against his chest once, turned to the side, and outstretched his arm over the arena, and the apprentice hunters below.

"Sit venatione incipiam!" Wes, and all the hunters present in the arena, called out triumphantly. A moment later, the crowd erupted back into cheering once more, and the hunters all took their seats as the announcer called the first group of hunters forward, and the remainder of the apprentices retreated back into the structure's interior to await their turn.

"Y'know, they make such a big deal about these traditions, but I don't recall them doing it for us at our examination," York muttered with a sour expression.

"They did, we were just a little too late to make it on time, remember?" Zephyr said. "Mostly because a certain someone decided to have three breakfasts that day. Right, Hugh?"

"Hey! Last I checked, you said it was a good thing t' build up your energy before a big fight!"

"Hahah, no need to get all fired up now, Hugh! That was more than two decades ago," Rose laughed. "I think you should just be glad that this time around, it's you who gets to take part in it, especially since Cassian is down there. Same goes for Zephyr and Iliana."

"Eh, I suppose you're right about that. Can't wait to see what those kids have got in store for us!"

"And the monsters too," Wes added. "They said there'd be new monsters not normally seen around here, after all. Who knows what we'll see?"

"Gah, that just gets me even more fired up!" Hugh groaned. "Let's get on with it already!"

"Careful Wes, we don't need him to pop an artery now," Zephyr chuckled.

"The hell's an artery?"

"Your family is really something, Wes," Sapphire said as Zephyr tried to explain his choice of words to Hugh. "Are they always this fun to be around?"

"For the most part, I'd like to say so. Sure, they're all a bit crazy in their own right, and they've definitely got some weird quirks, and they can butt heads on occasion, but there's nobody else they'd trust more than each other."

"I can see how that's the case!"

"What about you? I don't remember you saying much about your family, now that I think about it…"

"Oh, well… It's kinda complicated," Saph said, her expression darkening slightly. "I've moved around a lot in my life, met a whole bunch of people, lived in a ton of different towns, stuff like that. Honestly, I'm not even sure if I could consider my mom as a 'real' mother, if that makes sense. She was always so busy… My stepfather wasn't exactly the greatest man either, so… it was hard really getting that family connection. Plus, there was… Never mind that.

"But then I met the other Gems!" she continued, suddenly smiling widely as her face brightened. "I met all of them before I became a huntress, and it was actually because of them that I decided to start in the first place. They're like the sisters I always wished I had. I guess it's kind of like how you put it; sure, we may all be kinda weird and we might sometimes have our arguments, but in the end, we look out for each other better than anyone else might."

"I'd believe it," Wes replied. "I know I might not seem like I've been listening, but I've heard all about your team's assignments from the others. You girls are devastating out there, y'know? I could use a lesson in teamwork from all of you. At least, so long as Ruby doesn't try to strangle me. Did you… ever find out _why _she always seems so hostile towards me?"

"She hasn't said a word about it to any of us, sorry… Well, aside from the whole tower thing, that is. So, nothing you don't already know."

"Great… Nothing better than having a friend pissed off at you and not having any clue how to make it up to them," Wes muttered dryly. "Well, thanks for trying to find out, at least. Can you let me know if anything new pops up?"

"You betcha!" she answered enthusiastically, winking and giving him a thumbs up.

A loud gong from the announcer's platform drew their attention back to the stadium floor, where four of the hunting apprentices were standing at the ready. Wes mentally berated himself for drowning out everything else the announcer had been saying while he had been talking with Sapphire, though he supposed that he could still find out what he missed from the others.

"And now, to start this year's examination, our first group of hunters-to-be will be facing a mysterious creature from the eastern lands of Jaagazuela!" the announcer called, causing the crowd to roar even louder. At least, Wes assumed they did, since his earplugs made it difficult to hear just how loud they were being.

_Not that I'm complaining!_

_Quiet, it's about to start._

Still, he couldn't help but glance down at his armor. The people at the Wyvern Heart Forge had mentioned that this set was Jaagazuelian in origin, after all. Not only was he wearing a set native to those parts, he'd be seeing monsters from there too! Wes made himself comfortable as the doors to the monster pens creaked open, and he noticed the bulky figure of an ape-like creature within moving about, growing closer to the doors with each step.

_Now this, this is going to be good._

_Yeah, yeah, just make sure I get a share of the popcorn, would ya?_

_There isn't any food, Silver. And how would I even give you any?!_

_Whaddya mean there aren't any concessions?!_

_Quiet already! We can get some later._

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our first foreign creature, the primitive pink primate, Congalala!"

* * *

Throughout the next hour and a half Sapphire, Wes, and the rest of his family-as well as everyone else in the arena, of course- intently watched the various fights that were waged on the arena floor. The newcomers all looked promising, hunter and beast alike. While his friends had yet to take the stage, many of the other hunters-to-be had shown a lot of ingenuity in their fights, even those who were faced with Jaagazuelian creatures they'd never even heard of before.

Wes had read about a couple of them- namely Gypceros, Yian Kut-Ku, and Congalala- but he was surprised by the appearance of a giant spider-like creature known as a Nerscylla. He'd never seen a creature move quite like that before, let alone one equipped with as many natural methods of inflicting status ailments. The apprentices who had been pitted up against it had eventually been bested by the creature's swiftness and the globs of web it shot all over the stadium floor, requiring the guards in the wooden towers surrounding the field to put it to sleep with a number of well-placed rounds from their bowguns, but Wes was still impressed that they were able to hold their own against it for as long as they did.

A Kecha Wacha was another creature that piqued his curiosity, as well as Sapphire's (she didn't care much for giant spiders, it seemed). The orange monkey-beast seemed almost as dexterous as the Nerscylla, but with a few other tricks up its sleeves, such as a membrane it could stretch between its arms and legs to glide for a short time, the globs of water it could shoot from its trunk, and a rather peculiar rage mode that involved the creature folding its ears over its face and using the natural design on the backs of each to try and intimidate its attackers. How it could see like that was beyond him, though Silver theorized that it was possible it either used sound to pick up on where hunters were moving around, or that the membrane over its eyes was thin enough for it to see through partially. Despite its tricks, though, the hunters managed to fell this creature with only some difficulty.

One thing that Wes found curious about these fights, though, was that the creatures would occasionally glance upwards, or ready themselves to leap up higher, as if they were planning on leaping to another level of the arena to fight. Of course, there wasn't anything above for them to actually leap to, and the hunter thought he could almost see frustration in their eyes when they realized that too. Perhaps there was a difference in the geography in Jaagazuela that these monsters were accustomed to, but wasn't to be found in Venatoria?

All of this just made Wes want to visit this country even more. He'd had a slight interest in the nation after getting his armor, but after seeing the monsters in action, he couldn't help but imagine what other kinds of creatures might be awaiting him over the borders. A possible shift in terrain would've been a welcome change for the hunter as well; he'd grown quite used to the different hunting grounds of his country in just a few years, such that the most interesting fight he'd had as of late was the one against Hades inside the walls of that village, though he disliked calling that event 'interesting'. Still, he was hoping that if one day he were able to travel to Jaagazuela, he'd be able to experience everything that country had to offer.

"And thus ends yet another impressive display of hunting, this time from our prospective hunting team from the town of Yukumo!" the announcer's voice boomed throughout the stadium. This team had just succeeded in taking down a Barroth, albeit with a lot more difficulty than he had expected. Their movements just seemed a little too stiff and jerky, almost old fashioned, and the beast was able to give them a real run for their money.

"Guess it's true what they said. Barroths really are the bane of new hunters."

"I'd say their style was similar to traditional methods of hunting," Dustin pointed out. "How do I put it… As time goes on, people gradually pick up on new tricks and introduce them to others, thus building up more general knowledge about each weapon and how to use them. Some people only stick with the unaltered versions out of a sense of tradition."

"Stubbornness, really," Sal added.

"Yes, well, I'd say that these hunters had an older instructor, perhaps a hunting legend from their region who hasn't quite gotten up to speed with how things are done."

"Yeesh, that's pretty rotten," Sapphire commented. "They could be failed for that! That's not really fair for them if they didn't know any better."

"Better they fail now and learn some new tricks for the next one than pass and get crushed out on a real hunt because they didn't have those tricks," Zephyr said with a somewhat solemn tone. "I've seen quite a few younger hunters get in over their heads and end up paying the price for it. I'd rather not think that these lads are going to be next."

"Wow. That turned dark pretty quickly," Wes stated. "Still, six fights in and no sign of Cass and Ilia's team? Usually we're lucky enough to be first or second in the lineup. At least, that's how it's been for my family…"

"Just give it time. Not everyone can be that lucky, after all," the sandship captain chuckled. "I was one of the first to go during my examination. Coincidentally, that was also against a Barroth. I won, but I was left unconscious after the fight, so I missed almost every other fight that year. Going first isn't always that great."

"Now then, for our next group of hunters!" the voice echoed again, drawing the group's attention to the field. "This is a tenacious team of hunters hailing from the ocean village of Moga! We've heard nothing but praise about their teacher, but let's hope for his sake that these students can live up to that reputation! Give it up for Aquila, Iliana, Cassian, and Jango!"

"Speak of the devil," Hugh laughed, clapping as the crowd erupted into cheers once more, and the large wooden doors creaked open. The four hunters stepped out of the entrance and into the arena proper, waving to the stands excitedly. Wes himself began cheering more loudly than before; this had been the part he'd been waiting for the most! Time to see what his old friends could really do.

Their gear had certainly improved since he'd seen them last. Aquila had upgraded from his Jaggi set to a suit of Rathian armor, and his old Jaggi sword and shield were now weapons crafted from Gobul materials: a spiked, yellow bladed sword with a purple shield, from which even more spikes could extend. Cassian's alloy armor and buster sword were now a Barroth set and a blade crafted from Rathian materials, while Ilia's chainmail garb had been replaced with a suit made of Gobul parts. Her bowgun, originally a simple Crossbowgun, was now a Royal Launcher weapon made from Ludroth parts. Lastly, Jango had swapped out his Ludroth armor and axe for an ore based axe, which Dustin mentioned as being similar to Connor's old Rough Edge weapon, and a suit of ingot armor. All in all, they were much better equipped than they had been before. His father must've really been running them through all the hoops.

As the crowd began to settle down after the hunters' initial entrance (Cassian had made an effort to get them even more pumped up than they already were), the group readied themselves at the center of the arena, the doors opposite them slowly beginning to creak open. Wes leaned forward in his seat to try and get a better view of the creature they'd be facing, while Sapphire peered pulled herself up by his shoulder to get a look as well.

"What we've got in store for these hunters in training is another foreign creature, one that doesn't resemble a single species here in Venatoria! They've been known to be pretty tough customers back where they come from, but let's see if these hunters are up to snuff! Introducing… the Demon Frog, Tetsucabra!"

"Whatsucabra?" Wes asked, his attention stuck on the doors below, grinding to a halt. He could see a single, large blue eye in the darkness within, but not much else. A moment later, though, the beast leapt into the sunlight, giving the crowd a full view of the creature.

The hunter could best equate it to being an enormous frog with a massive pair of fangs protruding from its lower jaw. The majority of its frog-like body was covered in reddish-orange scales, while its underbelly was a pale yellow tone. It was definitely built tough; it was probably the most durable-looking beast out of all the foreign monsters yet.

"Thatsucabra," Sapphire replied with a short chuckle, pointing towards the beast. "It kinda looks like one of those weird Oni masks people wear during the autumn festival with those jaws!"

"I can see that actually. Let's just hope for their sake this thing is more frog than demon."

* * *

"Awright, it's go time, people!" Cass shouted to his teammates, gripping the handle of his great sword tightly.

"We'll use Plan Six on this one," Aquila said as he inspected the massive beast before him. He'd never seen anything quite like it before. No, check that, he _had _seen something like it before. Only problem was, that was the frogs he and his team used as bait to fish a Gobul out of the water. They were completely harmless! How would a frog even fight? "Ilia, we'll break left and hold its attention on us. Cass, Jango, you two flank it and try to topple it. Then we'll move in for the kill!"

"You got it! C'mon Cass!"

"Ilia, what's the best way you can keep its focus centered on us?"

The huntress replied by loading a single shot into her gun and loosing it on the amphibian before them, striking it squarely in the face and causing a number of small red pellets to fall free. When those connected with the ground or the Tetsucabra's face, they suddenly erupted into several explosions that completely engulfed the monster's face with flames.

While the beast didn't seem at all impressed by the attack, she at least succeeded in making it center its focus on her. With a guttural roar, the Tetsucabra leapt towards the pair, using its powerful hind legs to close the gap with a surprising amount of speed. Aquila and Iliana leapt back in time to evade the attack, though the short sword wielder still had to bring his shield up to block the stream of sand the monster's heavy jaw kicked up. He recovered quickly enough to slash his sword across the monster's face twice before leaping to the side Ilia was moving towards, barely evading being gored by one of the amphibian's massive tusks. While it had been a glancing blow, he had struck one of the tusks and felt his blade sink into it ever so slightly; perhaps they weren't as hard as he first thought! That was an advantage they might be able to use.

Ilia covered his retreat while Aquila ducked away from the red-scaled monster, rapidly firing water shots at its side and causing the creature to flinch from the impact. Instead of turning to face them, though, the Tetsucabra lifted its right legs high into the air, exposing its underbelly to them, and then slammed its feet down into the ground. Ilia and Aquila were both sent sliding back from the sheer force of the blow; they had been just outside the impact zone, luckily, but a massive burst of sand from the shockwave had struck them both, leaving the hunters a little disoriented.

Cassian and Jango leapt in before the Demon Frog could continue its assault on the pair, though; the switch axe user chopped his weapon into the creature's opposite side, in the space between its legs, while Cass unsheathed his great sword with one hand and slammed the heavy Rathian blade into the Tetsucabra's front claw, breaking several scales off and causing the beast to reel in shock. The hunter quickly pulled his blade around and returned it to his back before jumping out of the way of the Tetsucabra's retaliatory bite.

As Jango moved in to follow up on his teammate's attack, though the Tetsucabra suddenly rammed its jaws into the sand, and with a strange bellow the beast pulled its head up, sending a wave of sand and small boulders into the air, forcing the switch-axe user to stumble back with a surprised gasp. The frog creature had a look of confusion in its eyes as the shower of sand fell before it, as though it had been expecting something else, but it charged at the hunter a moment later regardless. He rolled to the side just as the beast leapt at him, avoiding being crushed under its weight in the nick of time.

Aquila rushed in then, leaping up onto the creature's hind leg and pushing off with both feet, leaping into the air above the amphibian while slashing upwards, leaving a thin line in the Tetsucabra's back scales. He twisted about in midair and delivered a second slash to the beast's opposite side as he fell, ducking and rolling away as he landed from the attack. He heard the crowd erupt into cheers after that maneuver.

_Now I'm glad I watch York so closely out in the field, _he thought, grinning to himself. _I really hope Trance just saw that._

"Didn't realize we were playin' leap frog, Aquila!" Cassian shouted, laughing heartily at the sword user. "Maybe we should mix things up a bit! How 'bout we try Chain Formation?"

"Ilia, you're with Cass!" Aquila called, pointing his sword towards the bowgunner. "Jango, regroup with me behind it! We need to cover her when she lands!"

"That's what I like to hear! Try to keep up!"

The great sword user began to charge directly towards the Tetsucabra, with Ilia right on his heels, a fresh chamber of rounds just loaded up. Cassian bellowed loudly as he neared the creature, while the Tetsucabra stomped towards him, mouth hanging open in an attempt to run him through on one of its tusks. He slid to a stop and swung his great sword around in front of him just in time to block, planting himself firmly into sand as the beast ran headlong into the slab of metal and scales.

Much to the surprise and delight of the crowd above, Cassian actually managed to completely halt the beast in its tracks, only sliding back about half a dozen feet when its tucks met his blade. He held the amphibian back with his incredible strength, roaring and pushing harder when it attempted to send him flying back. The audience only cheered louder when Ilia came up behind the great sword user, leaping up onto his shoulder and kicking off into the air above the Tetsucabra and twisting about, her bowgun aimed directly towards the creature's back. She loosed six rounds into its back as she arched over it, earning a pained roar from the amphibian at the sudden assault on its back. She landed just as the last round left the barrrl of her gun, almost falling back in the process, but Aquila was able to grab her arm just before she fell.

"Still need to work on the landing a bit," she gasped as they ducked away from the beast, and Jango moved around to assist Cassian. "Think that one impressed the judges?"

"I think these stunts are impressing just about everyone," Aquila replied, passing off some ammunition for her to load into her gun. "I'll get Jango to try our secret weapon, see if that can get us to finally knock this thing over. After that, Cass will have an easy time finishing it off. Where's-"

A resounding _crack _cut the hunter off, and the pair glanced over in the direction of the Tetsucabra in time to see that the great sword user had actually broken one of its tusks off with a powerful shove of his blade, causing the chunk of tooth to flip away behind him and embed itself in the sand, point first. The crowd roared in approval, and Jango moved in to strike at the beast while Cassian moved back to catch his breath. He was strong, but stopping creatures that size really took its toll on him. He still insisted on doing it at least once a hunt, for whatever reason.

"Fire away," the sword user said quickly before rushing around to assist the switch axe wielder in attacking the Tetsucabra's front. They'd need to cover for Cass while he got his strength back, and if Jango's asthma decided to strike, Aquila needed to be there to tackle him out of the way. They'd worked out all of their strategies prior, and this was one of the most basic ones; make sure no one else gets creamed. It was that, or risk losing out on all of their dynamics.

Aquila slid in beneath Jango's weapon as the bronze-armored man brought his axe around into the side of the beast's head, slashing his Gobul blade across the bottom of its jaw and rolling to a stop just in front of the hunter, hefting his shield up as the amphibian surged forward in an attempt to gore Jango in retaliation. The blow struck center on his shield and knocked Aquila back into Jango, sending both hunters toppling to the ground and causing Aquila's helmet to fly off, but neither were badly injured thanks to the short sword wielder's quick defense.

"Jango, get ready for Roundtrip," Aquila said, shaking his head to get the sand out of his brown hair. "Cass, you back on your feet yet?!"

"You know it! Just gimme the word and I'll move in for the kill!"

"Ilia, you know what to do! C'mon Jango, we're flanking its left side! Let's get some space!"

* * *

"Wow, these guys are really something!" Sapphire said, her eyes wide in amazement as the fight raged on below. "I don't think I've seen anyone try moves like that, even in the Corps!"

"Me neither! What the hell did you teach them back in Moga, Pa?" Wes called over to his father. York simply laughed in reply.

"Well, they all had a penchant for throwing themselves at everything they could. Challenges, obstacle courses, tests, monsters, you name it. Unfortunately, that doesn't always get you as far as you'd like out in the real world. So, I taught them how to throw each other at their problems too!"

"So, you turned their primary weakness around and weaponized it? That's… brilliant."

"I thought so too!"

The dual blade wielder leaned forward in his seat to get a better view of the action below. Cass and Ilia were doing a great job so far, and the others were just as good. Trance's brother definitely looked to be the leader of their group, given how he was the one shouting out orders and coordinating their attack. Even then, he was in the thick of it all too, ducking in and blocking for the others if need be or striking when he found a substantial opening. Jango was no slouch either. It was his capabilities that rounded out the rest of the group.

"Say, Wes, look over there," Sapphire said, suddenly grabbing his arm and pointing towards the announcer's platform just as the hunters below dodged another wave of sand and rocks the amphibian flung at them with its jaw. "Does it seem like something's… wrong to you?"

Wes looked over to where she was gesturing towards, raising an eyebrow curiously. He could see a number of people hastily shuffling about, almost as if in a panic. It didn't look like there was any kind of violence happening, but something seemed to have those within riled up. The question was, what could that thing be?

* * *

"Tossing a flash bomb!" Ilia shouted, pulling the pin out of the canister and chucking the device in front of the Tetsucabra as it began to dig its tusks into the sand before shielding her eyes. Her allies did likewise, and a moment later an intense burst of light erupted from within, blinding the amphibian beast. Cass held off to the side while Jango and Aquila positioned themselves to the beast's left. The switch axe user had the head of his weapon resting in the sand behind him, and Aquila was just behind that.

"Now or never, Aquila!" he said, hefting the weapon. "Here comes Roundtrip!"

The bronze-armored man twisted his body, as though he were going to swing his axe with as much force as possible. Aquila readied himself as the man brought his axe around full circle, ducking beneath the blade and leaping forwards to grab hold of the one dull spike on the back of Jango's axe. The momentum of the swing carried him around another full rotation, during which he could think of nothing more than holding on for dear life, despite his shoulder screaming at him to let go. Jango spun them around once more before shouting:

"NOW!"

Aquila immediately released his grasp and felt himself take to the air like a cannonball, sailing towards the Tetsucabra at a breakneck speed. He instinctively curled himself up into a ball, flipping through the air and uncoiling himself just as he was about to strike the Tetsucabra, an orange aura flashing around him just as he made contact. The short sword wielder planted his feet into the beast's side, using his legs like springs to dampen the impact, and slammed his spiked shield into the monster's side for good measure. The sheer force of the impact, as well as the amphibian's surprise at the force of the blow, caused the Tetsucabra to roll over completely onto its left side, scales broken and hide bloody from where Aquila had struck it.

The hunter himself was lying on the ground dazed from the attack, having rebounded off its side and landed hard on his back. He wasn't quite sure what that aura was, but it seemed to appear right before he was about to hit something-or vice versa- and save him from the brunt of the damage. It only consistently worked when they used Rountrip, for some reason…

Jango rushed over to help him up while Ilia shouted to Cass to finish the beast off. Aquila watched as the great sword user charged the beast once again, drawing his blade as he neared the Tetsucabra's throat and bringing the green sword down onto the monster's neck as hard as he could. There was a massive spray of blood, as well as a pained groan from the creature, but instead of going limp, the creature suddenly rolled back onto its feet, forcingCass and Ilia to leap back to avoid being crushed.

"The hell?! How is it still alive?!" Cass exclaimed. "I nearly chopped its bloody head off!"

"It's on its last legs!" Ilia assured, chambering another few rounds into her bowgun. "We'll have it finished off in no time at all! Jango, make sure you keep Aquila out of the way until he's recovered! We'll take it from here!"

"Got it! Just be care-"

The hunter's voice was drowned out by the sudden sound of the gong above the arena being struck, filling the arena with an intense, resounding boom. All the spectators grew quiet as the sound died down, while the Tetsucabra weakly looked around with a look of fear in its eyes, blood spilling from the wound on its neck.

Aquila didn't understand. Wasn't the gong only supposed to go off when the hunters were in trouble? They were about to win! Why had it gone off now? His answer came from a new voice from the announcer's platform. This man's voice sounded stoic and flat, but it had a sense of urgency to it as well.

"I would ask all hunters within the arena proper to vacate the premise IMMEDIATELY. All civilians are asked to remain calm and leave the arena as quickly as possible. There has been a breach in containment below the arena, and the monster in question is heading towards the surface at an alarming rate. Any hunters in possession of a G3 level license or above, remain on standby. This is not a-"

_BOOM._

Aquila glanced towards the large wooden gates opposite the one they had entered from immediately, as did every head in the arena. Dust and sand fell from the gate as the chains binding it shut rattled loudly, creaking against some unknown pressure from behind the door. Something big slammed into the door once more, causing a split to form in the wood and one of the thick chains to actually snap.

"Again, all hunters within the arena proper, leave immediately! You are not safe there!" the voice urged, and Aquila felt Jango pull him up to his feet and begin dragging him back towards the exit.

"We gotta run, NOW!"

"B-but the Tetsucabra-!"

"Forget that thing! It isn't even looking at us right now!" Ilia shouted, running past the pair while Cass pulled over to help Jango support the short sword wielder.

"It'll be dead in five minutes tops," the great sword wielder added. "Best we get out of here 'fore whatever it is those clowns let loose breaks in!"

Another boom resounded through the arena, and Aquila turned his head back to get a look at the door. The split had widened even further now, and another one of the chains had broken. The metal braces fitting the thick wooden planks together looked like they were about to fail too; the entire door was on the verge of being destroyed. One more boom sounded, and the gates practically flew off their hinges, breaking into hundreds of splinters and bits of metal. Even the stone archway above the gate had been damaged, and several large boulders flew towards the group, forcing the hunters to throw themselves out of the way to avoid being crushed.

Aquila warily glanced up at the beast towering above them, about fifty yards from where they lay. It had a long, sickly green body, lined with jagged spikes and old scars. It had short arms with a few talons on each, as well as enormous legs that ended in claws sharp enough that they almost hurt just to look at. And its head was absolutely terrifying. Its jaw was covered in teeth and spikes, similar to the ones that ran along its body, and it had a pair of deadly red eyes that it glared around the arena floor with before settling on him. Aquila felt his heart skip a beat, seeing the creature's swollen red back, as well as the stream of saliva running from its mouth.

"Deviljho."

That was all he could mutter, his eyes wide in horror. The others seemed just as stunned as he was, paralyzed in fear of the ferocious beast before them. This was a creature well beyond anything they were capable of, and they all knew that.

And they were stuck in the arena with it.

* * *

"PA!"

"I know!" the man shouted in reply, getting to his feet immediately. "Hugh, Zephyr, get everyone out of the stadium! Keep them safe! Do what you can to get the civilians out of here! Wes, Sapphire, you two are with me! We're going down there!"

"York, that's my kid down there!" Hugh argued, stepping towards the hunter. "If anything, Zephyr and I should be the ones to go help 'em!"

"Can you get down there in time? Like it or not, the only chance they have of getting out of there alive is a speedy rescue. Leave that to us. I promise I'll get them out safe," York assured.

"You'd damn well better…"

"Have I ever let you down before?"

"Okay, enough talk!" Zephyr cut in. "They need your help now! We'll come in to help as soon as the others are a safe distance from the arena. Good luck down there, all of you."

"Let's just hope we don't need it," Wes muttered, turning towards Sapphire. "You sure you're alright with this? You can go with the others if-"

"I'll be okay. If anything, I think I need to help out with this one…" the huntress replied. "That Deviljho looks a lot like the one me and the Gems captured the other day. Right down to that big cut across its face."

"Perfect, that means she's got info for us," York said. "Let's go, you two!"

Without waiting for a reply, Wes' father leapt over the side of the wall, with the Corps members only a second or two behind. Wes slid down the wall a ways before pushing off and grabbing a flag pole, flipping around the bar once before launching himself towards the arena floor about ten yards down. Sapphire bounded between the tower and the wall instead, using her impressive jumping ability to safely descend from their seats. York himself, meanwhile, quickly opened the emergency parachute he had built into the back of his armor to slow his fall and drift towards the center of the arena, not far from where the apprentices still lay stunned from the Deviljho's appearance.

Thankfully, they had been spared the wyvern's wrath by the efforts of the Tetsucabra. The amphibian beast, despite and possibly because of its injuries, attempted to confront the savage creature, only to be slaughtered in a few moments. The Deviljho was taking several bites from its hide, splattering the sand below with the orange-scaled monster's blood at each meaty chomp. Jango had been the first to recover, and was currently trying to pull Aquila behind a boulder for cover by the time York, Wes, and Saph reached them.

They hadn't been the only ones to leap into the fray, though. As he slid to a stop between the younger hunters and the Deviljho, Wes spied Viper and Snow dropping into the arena behind the beast, as well as three other hunters he didn't recognize off to the left, on the monster's right side.

_Eight in all, huh? Let's hope these numbers tip things in our favor,_ Silver mused. _Savage Deviljho's aren't something to take lightly, so keep your guard up._

Wes nodded slowly to himself as the creature swallowed the last bit of the Tetsucabra's carcass it was interested in, turning about to face the trio between it and the four apprentice hunters.

"Showtime," he muttered, pulling his hood up and drawing his twin swords.

* * *

**Author Notes: Please review! I mean it. I appreciate the feedback. **

**Something that occurred to me as I was writing TMC was that all of the cool stuff only seemed to really happen to the main characters. They got all the cool powers, fought all the new monsters, stuff like that. Well, since TMC is a world of badass, I felt it was necessary to include a scene where even novice hunters get a chance to strut their stuff! There are a lot of other hunters out there who have those abilities, after all; remember the 'Hunting Sense' I introduced with Frontier Lineage? Well, that's actually a thing in TMC too! I will outright confirm here that Frontier Lineage takes place well after the end of The Master Corps; enough time for young Kari to grow up, at least! I'm a little surprised not many people caught that she shared her last name with Dustin, though. I certainly do love leaving little hints for all of you!**

**One aspect I really miss about Tri and 3U's arena is the battle theme. 4 Ultimate's isn't really BAD, per se, but compared to the old song, it just doesn't really do a good job of getting you hyped up for an epic battle that thousands of spectators are looking down upon. Well, imaginary ones, at least. The stands are always empty in game... Am I not popular with those people? Anyways, the Tetsu battle's music theme is indeed the track from Monster Hunter Tri's arena!**

**One of the main things I had to consider when bringing those fourth generation monsters back into Tri and 3U's environments, though, was how the monsters would handle it. I'm sure you all noticed a substantial lack of boulder throwing from the Tetsucabra; considering the third generation arena's floor is made up mostly of sand, there really aren't many rocks for it to dig up in the first place! Thus, it kicks up a lot of sand instead, which isn't quite as useful as a boulder the size of a small building. This also translated into the other monsters from Jaagazuela; most of them would normally appear in the Slayground, where they have a vine level to use as well. Honestly, the environment was completely against the foreign monsters here; don't expect that to hold true in all future fights, though.**

**And, as a final note for this chapter, this is the first one to really begin actually the dive into the overall plot of TMC! Can you believe it only took me 26 chapters to get to this point? I sure as hell can't. My initial draft had me at this point twenty chapters ago. Really puts my initial concept to shame, and I called THAT ambitious when I first came up with it a few years ago (has it really been years?).**

**I've got a little news for all of you too; alongside TMC, I've begun putting some work into not one, but TWO other stories, these ones being completely separate from The Master Corps! While this does go against my old philosophy of only working on one project at a time, I decided I needed more motivation to write a lot. With any luck, I'll actually have one of those finished up in time for a short break from TMC! It won't be nearly as long as the Frontier Lineage break though, since I'll only release them once they're finished or close to being finished. It's really just a break from posting anything TMC- I'll still be writing it, I assure you. For now, I'll just tease you with their current working titles: Driven, and Tales of the Everwood. Be on the lookout for one of those in the not too distant future!**

**Playing: MH4U, Super Smash Bros., Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition (currently screaming like a school girl over how awesome Vergil is; he plays way better here than his iteration in the reboot's DLC. Lunar phase, anyone?)**

**Listening to: Avenged Sevenfold, The Offspring, Combichrist, Monster Hunter Orchestra, grown men crying due to stress **

**Watching: RWBY, Sunday Without God, Noragami, Barakamon, hope draining from the eyes of my peers as finals approach**

**Reading: TLC: Shadows of the Past by dashboardgecko, enough textbooks and notes to drive any sane person mad (let's be honest, I'm already long gone by this point)**


	27. Dance with the Devil

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 27: Dance with the Devil

Wes yelped and ducked low just as the Deviljho's massive tail sailed over his head, buffeting him with a sandy gale. He quickly pushed himself forwards as the brute wyvern lifted its leg high and leapt out of the way just as the beast's foot came down next to one of the other hunters, a lance wielder wearing Agnaktor armor. The force of the impact sent the man skidding back a few feet, though he had safely blocked the worst of it. The Deviljho turned towards the lancer and viciously snapped its jaws at him, as if to pronounce that he was now its target.

With the beast's attention away from him, the blue- and green-eyed hunter glanced in the direction Cass and Ilia's team had fled: the great wooden doors leading out of the arena. He caught a glimpse of Jango disappearing behind the gate, where York had escorted the team outside along with the help of the other two hunters that had accompanied the lance wielder into the arena, one of whom stayed with the apprentices.

Wes caught his father's concerned glance as the older hunter turned back to the fight, realizing that he was still lying on the ground from evading the creature's last attack. He pushed himself up and gave York a quick wave before turning back towards the brute wyvern. A few arrow shafts were sticking out of its hide, courtesy of Viper, while its upper body was being pelted with bowgun rounds from two of the surrounding towers. There should have been four, but one of the guards seemed to have lost his nerves and fled with the rest of the stadium, while the other had been inside his tower when the green monstrosity slammed into it. Wes assumed he was lying underneath all the splintered wooden fragments, and as much as he wanted to try and pull the guy out of there, this was not the time for that.

The lance wielder had just successfully deflected the monster's attempt to devour him when Wes raced in to help him out, ducking between the brute wyvern's legs and slashing both with his dual blades and a quick spin. Sapphire had mentioned this Jho had a hard time striking directly beneath it, so the hunter's focused their efforts there. He twisted around and slashed both swords upwards, slicing thin lines into the bottom of the creature's neck. Before the beast could act, the hunter was out from beneath it, sliding to a stop beside the lance wielder.

"I'll get its attention," he said quickly, turning back towards the Deviljho and tightening his grasp on his dual blades. Saph had also pointed out that it liked to focus on single targets, even ignoring other hunters outright to attack one in particular when it was enraged. She mentioned a lot of success with bait-and-switch tactics though... "Take a quick breather, then attack with the others while it's focused on me."

The man nodded in reply before slowly inching his way backwards, sheathing his weapon while keeping his shield up in case the brute came after him again. In fact, it looked like it was about to!

"Hey, you overgrown excuse for a pickle!" Wes shouted as mockingly as he could, clanking his swords together before spreading his arms wide, practically inviting the beast to take a bite out of him. "Why don'tcha try and catch your meal instead? Have you gotten that fat and lazy, or-"

He winced as the beast reared its head and roared furiously at him; while his earplugs blocked most of the noise, he heard a subtle crack and felt them drop from his ears and roll out of his hood as the beast quieted down.

"It also tends to get angry really easy!" Saph called out a moment later.

"It's a Deviljho! That doesn't surprise me!"

The hunter leapt back just as the brute wyvern lunged towards him, its jaws snapping shut in the space he had occupied a moment earlier. He retaliated with a quick swipe across its face, matching the mark left there from its fight with the Gems, but was forced to roll to the side when the monster whipped its tail around in an attempt to bat him away. The beast lifted its leg up high as he was recovering, but before it could bring its weight down on him, an arrow suddenly whizzed past and lodged itself into the bottom of the monster's foot, causing it to whimper in pain and teeter to the side awkwardly. Wes glanced over his shoulder and saw Viper give him a short salute before nocking another arrow onto his bow and rushing off to the side.

"Now's our chance, Saph!"

Wes backed away from the beast and glanced to the side, seeing Snow and Sapphire closing in on the Deviljho's good leg with weapons drawn. Snow slid to a halt just a few steps away from the brute and lifted her shield over her head, bending her legs and bracing herself. The blue-haired huntress was upon her a moment later, both literally and figuratively: Saph leapt up onto Snow's shield, and using the huntress below as a springboard, launched herself high enough into the air to land on the Deviljho's back, sticking a good portion of her blue-bladed sword between the beast's ribs to secure herself.

The green-scaled wyvern responded by twisting its body around sporadically, turning its neck in an attempt to bite the huntress off despite not being able to reach her position, but still forcing her to hold on tight to keep from being dislodged. With the huntress' position on its back, the Deviljho was forced to bring its foot down on the arrow Viper had embedded in it earlier, causing the shaft to snap while driving the tip in even further, painting the sand black with its blood.

"Whoaaa! Guys! Try and- eep!- try and hit it while I d-distract it!" Sapphire called down to the others, clutching the handle of her sword with both hands and driving it in further. The savage beast was definitely doing its best to try and throw her off, but it was so preoccupied with her that the rest of them would be able to duck in and attack!

His father was the first one to take advantage of the situation, rushing in with his blue and green swords at hand and slashing at the Deviljho's legs while dodging around its stamping feet. The one-eyed hunter managed to land almost half a dozen thin cuts before darting out from beneath the beast, clutching a trio of throwing knives with a light blue coating on them. He pulled his arm back and flung all three into the monster's side, just below where one of Viper's arrows had stuck.

Snow followed up a moment later, gracefully sliding past the Deviljho's legs and slamming the length of her spiked sword into its inner thigh. The white-haired huntress turned quickly, punching the two long fangs on her shield into the green scaled beast's opposite leg before crouching low, dislodging both weapons in the process. A split second later, a wave of ice seemed to erupt outwards from her blade, forming an even larger, spade-like blade of crystal blue around the metallic grey one. Snow yelled fiercely and lunged upwards with the icy blade, her thrust driving the extended portion into Deviljho's gut when otherwise her reach would've fallen short. She withdrew the blade a moment later and twirled her way out from under the creature, a satisfied smirk on her face as the icy portion dissolved away into a fine powdery mist. He'd seen her do that trick once before; it was definitely her magic at work, but she passed it off as a particular ability of her sword in order to deflect any suspicion.

The lance wielder and the last hunter, a switch axe user in Gold Rathian armor, rushed in after the white-haired huntress, with the lance wielder delivering a number of powerful, but shallow jabs around the area Snow had struck a moment before while the axe user morphed his weapon and attacked the beast's legs, side-stepping around his teammate to avoid striking him by mistake. The pair were forced to dive for cover or shield themselves when the Deviljho's foot came crashing down once again, and Wes prepared himself to dart in and attack as well.

A short yelp from above made him look up, though; Sapphire's sword had finally been dislodged from the beast's hide, and she had been flung off the green monster and into the air! Wes immediately abandoned his plan of attack and sheathed his swords instead. From that height, a hard landing could do a lot of damage! As he neared where she was about to land, he dove forwards, just barely catching her against his abdomen before hitting the ground.

He supposed it would have seemed pretty cool, maybe even a little romantic; he'd read scenes like this all the time in his novels. However, the books usually left out the part where the landing doesn't actually work that great. A second later, Wes felt himself slam into the sandy floor below, skidding several feet back before coming to a stop, groaning lightly from the impact.

"Oof! Thanks for the save, Wes!" she said, pushing herself off of him and dusting herself off.

"Don't… don't mention it," he coughed, shaking the sand off of himself after getting to his feet. Next time, he'd have to put a little more thought into a more graceful landing.

As he looked up at the beast, he saw even more sleep rounds from the bowgunners in the towers striking the Deviljho's body. Even a few hunters from the stands had joined in and were firing on the beast. Yet, why wasn't it falling asleep? He hadn't seen any monster take that much sedative to put down, but the brute wyvern wasn't even tiring!

"I knew using all that drugged meat was a bad idea," he heard Sapphire groan. "It's probably resistant to most status effects, actually…"

_Well, that explains that. What was the old saying? 'Two meats of the same shade, an angry Deviljho you made'?_

_Something like that._

Drawing his swords, Wes rushed back into the fray while Sapphire circled towards its flank, just as the lance wielder blocked the Deviljho's jaws from clamping down on the switch axe user. The strike forced both men back several feet, but before the brute could pursue them the dual blade wielder whistled loudly, causing the creature to quickly shift its eyes over to him for a moment. That was all he needed.

_Go for a slide!_

The hunter dropped to the ground just as the green-hided beast turned to try and devour him, skidding underneath its jaw by hardly an inch. He twisted around, swiping one of his swords against the bottom of the creature's head, though it clashed against the spikes lining its jaw without much damage, and rolled back into a crouch. The beast took a step to the side as its attack concluded, and Wes let out a fierce yell as he uncoiled his legs and leapt high into the air, spinning around once with both of his blades held outwards, slashing into the beast's leg with both blades as he rose. As he completed his ascent, the hunter brought both of his blades down, slicing a pair of thin lines into the Deviljho's side with both swords and dropping to the ground quickly.

The wounds weren't very deep, but Wes had definitely earned the wyvern's fury. It swept its tail around at him, forcing the hunter to duck, but it surprised him by continuing around and trying to catch him with its jaws again. Silver's warning helped him see it coming, and he flipped back just in the nick of time, sheathing his left hand sword upon landing. The hunter pulled a throwing knife coated with poison from his belt and flung the projectile into the monster's side, almost striking the cuts he left with his swords. If they couldn't put it to sleep, maybe regular poison could help put the creature down. He'd need a lot more than what was on his knives, though…

As he glanced back up at the beast, Wes caught a glimpse of Viper moving behind the creature, a number of arrows nocked on his bow. Of course! Viper should have poison coatings! He'd need to get over to him and tell him to switch out his sleep coatings, but the bigger concern now was the Savage Deviljho bearing down on him. Wes dashed to the side and leapt back to dodge another two bites from the brute, though he winced upon seeing it raise its leg up into the air as he was recovering; the impact wouldn't harm him, but it would definitely leave him vulnerable from the tremor.

A loud smash followed the Deviljho's foot, heaving the earth around it and causing Wes to stagger to maintain his balance. Before he could act, the beast swept its head sideways, ramming the side of its spiked jaw into him and knocking the hunter back almost a dozen feet. His back struck the ground first, but Wes was able to roll back onto his feet and slide to a stop, planting his free hand into the sand to halt himself. It hadn't been a very forceful strike, thankfully, so his new armor had stopped the most of it.

_Good to see it's doing its job._

_Focus, Wes, it still has its eyes on you!_

_Right, right!_

"Pa, tag in!" Wes shouted, seeing his father just at the edge of his vision as he pushed himself up. Wes raced towards York as the Deviljho lunged towards the blue- and green-eyed hunter, leaping out of the way as the monster's face slammed into the sand just behind him. York passed him as Wes rolled to his feet, and the older hunter slashed one of his swords across the monster's neck shallowly before ducking past it as well, causing the beast to shift its attention over to him as well.

"Hey now, can't have you trying to eat my son there, tough guy!" York taunted, resting his blue saber over his shoulder and pointing the green towards the brute. "C'mon, let's see about fixing up that ugly mug of yours. See if we can get a nice lady 'Jho for you afterwards? No? Didn't think so."

Wes sheathed his other sword and ran over to where Viper was, waving him over towards a boulder to use as cover while the others assisted York.

"What's up, bud?" Viper asked. "Glad to see you didn't get creamed too hard over there."

"So am I. Listen, this thing is immune to your sleep coatings," Wes explained. "The guys in those towers can't do a thing with their ammo. I'd also rule paralysis out; Saph and the Gems probably used some tinged meat when capturing this thing."

"I was wondering about that… Alright, I won't waste my coatings then."

"Think you can poison it?"

"Wes, we've been over this! My bow doesn't use poison coatings. That's why we used your knives for that weird-ass Neopteran job!"

_Shit, I completely forgot about that…_

_So did I. Then again, it wasn't really that memorable to begin with. Ever feel like chunks of life are just kinda… missing?_

"Alright, well, poison's out then…"

"Maybe if we can lure it to one of the empty towers, we can use the barrel bombs they keep stored in the base to blast it to kingdom come," the archer suggested, motioning towards one of the empty towers. "Think you could lure it there? I can detonate 'em."

"I probably can, but I'll need a hand from my Pa. Pissing off giant monsters happens to run in the family."

"I can see that. Oh, and Wes? Try not to die out there."

"Gee, thanks. Just the morale boost I needed, bow boy."

The hunters rolled out of cover, with Viper running off towards the Deviljho's flank and detaching the coating on his bow while Wes began running back into the fight. A shout from above made him stop in his tracks, though, and the hunter glanced up into the stands confusedly. He was shocked to see Monyreak at the edge of the arena wall, hands cupped over his mouth to amplify his voice. Wes still couldn't really hear out what the researcher was saying, but he found out a moment later when the man hefted a large red and silver claymore over his head.

"The Triblade? Why the hell would he- bah, nevermind. Throw it here!" Wes called up to the man, gesturing towards himself. He'd only had a little success in really injuring the beast with his dual swords, but a stronger blade could help rectify that. Plus… a big part of him really wanted to use the thing. The researcher tossed the blade down tip first, and it embedded itself in the sand a couple yards in front of him. Wes shot the man a thumbs up before pulling the Triblade free, watching the man race off to escape the arena for a moment.

_You do remember all of those new tricks he put into this thing, right?_

_Of course I do. Probably._

The hunter slid the blade through one of the straps on his back and twisted the upper half of the handle once, feeling the inner mechanisms of the weapon rev to life. He'd need to start by filling the blade with energy, and to get energy, he'd need friction.

Racing back towards the fight, Wes saw that the others were still doing fairly well at holding the beast off, as harrowing as it was. He expected more hunters to try and join in by now, but no one else had dropped in to assist. Currently, Saph was the brute's target, hopping out of the way of its snapping jaws and swinging tail while striking it with her sword or bashing it with her shield when she had the chance. York was off to the side catching his breath while Snow handed him a potion, and the other two hunters were attacking the Deviljho's flank. Viper had repositioned himself far behind the beast, firing single piercing arrows into its hide.

The beast snapped its jaw at Sapphire, which she evaded by hopping back several feet, though the creature followed after her, its maw crashing against her shield and sending her skidding back from the impact. She blocked a third strike from the beast, though the huntress tumbled back when her foot caught on a small piece of debris behind her.

"Hey, back off!" Wes shouted, leaping towards the Deviljho's head as it approached the short sword wielder and pulling the Triblade free from his back. He slashed a diagonal cut across the brute's chin and followed up with a horizontal slice the moment after, turning himself around and bringing the blade down once more across its face. He jumped over the beast's head when it attempted to bash its skull into him again, throwing his entire body into a lunge after landing. The tip of his sword slammed into savage monster's jaw with enough force to push its head away from him.

"Behind you!" he heard Sapphire shout, turning swiftly: just in time to see the beast's tail swinging towards him. The Deviljho had used the force of the hunter's strike to twist its body around, almost catching him off guard completely! No beast he'd fought had ever done something like that before!

The hunter raised his blade up and ducked, yelping as the tail clashed against the Triblade and sent him careening back several yards. He righted himself quickly by digging the tip of the blade into the sand before glancing down at the small glass piece just above the hilt. It was glowing red now, while it had previously been dim. Wes grinned to himself and revved the handle twice, causing the marker to dim once again. He could feel the energy running out of the blade and into one of the three internal phials, but he would need to gather more energy before he could do anything with it.

The hunter pulled the blade free and rushed towards the beast once again, glancing over for a moment to see how the others were doing. The tail sweep had caught the switch axe hunter off guard, and he was busy recovering from the blow while his lance wielding compatriot was keeping the beast off of him. Snow had taken to dealing in some heavy blows from her spiked sword, slamming the jagged edge into the monster's legs and darting around its steps when it tried to kick her out from beneath her. York was back on his feet now, though Sapphire and Viper were outside of his vision now.

"Let's try this one!" he said, twisting the lower half of the handle to the left and causing the Triblade to morph into its axe form. Previously, it had been a double-headed form, but Monyreak had altered it into a single head for more weight on that one side. Fortunately, that didn't change how Wes used it to fight.

He darted past the lance wielder and swung the weapon into monster's jaw, causing the brute to reel its head back in shock from the force of the blow. The sword form had been doing much better than his dual blades were, but the axe had left a gash deep enough to put the other two to shame, even if it was still only bleeding lightly. Wes clutched the handle of the axe near the head as he turned himself about, swinging the weapon into the Deviljho's face once again as it recovered, this time forcing the beast back a few steps to keep him from following up.

Even with the added power of the axe head, though, Wes realized that his attacks weren't really doing much to harm the beast; he'd only succeeded in cracking a few of the spikes on its jaw and leaving a few shallow cuts here and there. Similarly, the others hadn't actually scored many big hits either. Snow had landed maybe two powerful swipes that really drew blood, and the switch axe wielder had succeeded in cutting a larger gash into the creature's leg, but otherwise it seemed like their strikes had only been superficial up to that point.

_Focus on building up phial energy, then we can worry about hurting it._

The hunter was about to press forward and continue his assault when he saw the red and black energy crackling within the Deviljho's maw. Not wanting to risk getting caught up in the coming blaze, Wes sheathed his weapon and backpedaled away from the beast as fast as he could while twisting the handle of the axe, morphing it back into sword form. The brute unleashed the wave of dragon element from its maw, forcing all of the hunters to take cover or back away to avoid it. Snow darted in from the side as soon as the blaze died down, intending to strike at the beast's leg once again, but somehow the beast saw her coming. It swiped its head around at her, forcing the huntress to raise her shield to block. She let out a surprised yelp, though, as the beast clamped its jaw down on her shield arm, catching the huntress' forearm with one of its teeth and splashing the ground with her blood.

He heard Viper call her name out in concern, but despite the injury, Snow didn't look the least bit worried. Rather, she seemed to almost take it as a challenge. She yelled out defiantly, smashing her sword into the side of the brute wyvern's head before thrusting her shield arm forward, actually shifting the beast's head back a short distance. An icy mist seemed to escape from the monster's jaws then, before there was a sudden flash of white and the Deviljho was shoved back, releasing its grip on the sword wielder in the process.

Wes was surprised to see how Snow had done it; her shield had been encased in a thick shell of ice, exactly like what she had done with her sword. The icy plate even put the lancer's shield to shame: her shield had more than quadrupled in size, and the sudden expansion of the plate forced the Deviljho's mouth off of her!

"Not bad, Snow!" he called, giving her a quick thumbs up while she backed away to tend to her arm, the ice shield melting away as she did so.

The other hunters took advantage of the beast's momentary stunned state to rush in once more and attack, with the two unknown hunters rushing in behind the beast while York moved to attack its left leg.

"Push it towards that tower!" Viper shouted, pointing an arrow towards the wooden structure a few dozen yards in front of the creature.

The hunter rushed in towards the beast's left and pulled the Triblade free from his back, slashing a diagonal cut into the creature's limb. He brought the blade around again, slashing horizontally and spinning the blade above his head to strike again immediately after before quickly throwing out a trio of quick stabs and finishing with one final, powerful thrust.

He let out a startled grunt, though, when he felt the tip of the blade clash with the Deviljho's hide rather than cut into it, and he stumbled back several feet to keep his grip on the weapon. He glanced down at the blade and groaned in realization; the marker was crackling red with energy, even more so than it had been before. It had become overcharged! Wes shoved the tip of the blade into the sand and revved the handle to absorb the energy into the phial while the other hunters continued to attack.

As he looked up at the beast, though, something far beyond it caught his eye. He couldn't make out many details, but he thought he saw a humanoid figure.

_Why is someone on top of the arena walls? Who-_

"Wes, look out!"

The shout pulled his attention away from the figure and back to the Deviljho. It was lunging right for him! He quickly raised his sword in front of himself to block, but a moment later a white mass smashed into his side, knocking him out of the way of the incoming attack with a grunt. Wes groaned and pushed himself up, seeing that Sapphire was the one who had tackled him out of the way. Still, he glanced skyward once more, gasping in confusion when the figure wasn't there.

"Are you alright?" the Lagombi-armored huntress asked, pushing herself up and taking hold of his arm. "You looked distracted."

"T-there was someone up there!" he replied, pointing to the spot the figure had occupied. "On top of the arena!"

"There? That's hundreds of feet off the ground though! Why would-"

A loud roar from the Deviljho cut their conversation short, and the pair looked back towards the fight; York and the other two hunters had pulled the beast's attention away from him, and the three were fighting the brute wyvern closer to the center of the arena now, while Viper occasionally shot an arrow into its back when he had the opportunity.

"We'll talk about that later! Just try to keep your focus on the fight, Wes!"

"Yeah… Yeah, right, sorry."

"But… where did you get that?" she asked, pointing to the Triblade.

"It was a gift from above, let's just say. It's got a lot of firepower in it, but I'm saving that for the right time. We'll talk later, monster slaying now."

Wes charged back towards the beast, twisting the Triblade's handle in the opposite direction this time to morph the weapon into its pike form. Swinging the polearm around himself, Wes drove the tip of the weapon into the sand just before reaching one of the big stone blocks the Deviljho had smashed down earlier, vaulting over the obstacle and launching himself a couple yards into the air. He lashed out with the pike, slashing the tip of the weapon into the beast's side as he dropped. He landed with a roll and swept the weapon around himself, striking the monster with the top and bottom sections of the polearm and swinging it upwards, cracking the large weight on the bottom against one of the Deviljho's ribs.

The hunter cursed in surprise as the brute wyvern kicked at him, though, striking his pauldron with one of its talons and knocking him out from beneath it. As he recovered, York leapt in with both of his swords drawn, slashing at the beast's face with both and forcing it back a step in surprise.

"What did I tell you earlier? You can_not _eat my son! How would I explain that to the wife?! Not that you'd understand, of course…"

The brute wyvern's eyes glowed red with anger at the hunter's taunt, and black flames began to erupt from its head, encasing its head in the dark blaze of dragon element. Its eyes shone like two red dots in the darkness, while the swollen muscles on the creature's back began to expand even further and glow a violent red. Some of the arrows Viper had shot were even pushed out of its skin, sticking into the sand below as the Deviljho raised its head skyward and roared furiously, forcing the hunters to cover their ears from the intensity. Wes even felt himself being pushed back a few inches from the force of the shout.

"Great, you had to go and get it mad!" the Wes scoffed, pushing himself up fully and morphing his pike back into sword form. The marker was glowing yellow now; a few more swings, and he'd be ready to unleash the weapon's true capabilities.

"It's not my fault this thing can't find a mate! Maybe then it'd understand the phrase 'papa wolf' better!"

"Another made up animal? I swear, you listen to Uncle Hugh too much."

"That happens when you know the guy for as long as I have. But enough about that…" York said, glaring up at the beast before them. "Whattya say we show this thing how family functions work?"

"Sounds good to me, Pa," Wes replied, getting into a combat stance with his back to his father's. York brandished his swords before him while Wes leveled his close to his face, the length of the blade aimed at the brute wyvern. "If we push it towards that tower, Viper can blast it with the barrel bombs inside. Think you can manage that, old timer?"

"This 'old timer' can still kick monster ass, whether it's on fire or not. Ready?"

"Let's…"

"…dance?"

York's voice trailed off in confusion as the Deviljho turned to the side and stomped off, leaving the hunters completely flabbergasted for a moment.

"The hell?! C'mon, that was a great set up!"

"I really hate it when they do that... So much for _that _plan too!"

"It's headed for the doors!" Snow shouted. "The ones leading into the _hunters' rooms!"_

"Shit! If it busts that door down too, all that's keeping it from the city are a few stone walls!" Viper said, collapsing his bow and slinging it across his back. "We need a new plan, and fast!"

"We'll take the emergency exit and get into the streets!" the switch axe user called, gesturing to himself and his lance wielding ally. "Hold it off for as long as possible! We'll get as many people away from the entrance as we can!"

"Good! We'll see you on the other side!" York replied, fully turning towards the beast and racing after it along with the rest of the hunters. By the time they reached the brute wyvern, it had already rammed its shoulder into the doors twice, and large showers of sand were falling from above as the gate creaked from the strain. It wouldn't survive many more hits from the enraged creature, that much was certain…

Snow was the first to reach the Deviljho, sliding past it and putting herself between it and the gate. While the others caught up, the huntress leapt back onto the side of the stone pillar beside the gate, pushing off as hard as she could and swinging her shield arm forwards as a thick shell of ice once again formed around the plate. The savage creature was in the middle of a third attempt to break down the door, causing the huntress to slam into the side of its body. The beast's superior size and weight easily overcame the huntress, and Snow was thrown back into the gate with enough force to make the chains on the door rattle lightly. But the Deviljho hadn't escaped harm either. The Hybrid had actually struck the beast hard enough to trade blows with it: the Deviljho was thrown onto its side with a pained roar, a small patch of frost bite visible on its green hide.

"Snow! Are you alright?!" Wes heard Sapphire shout from behind him. The huntress staggered to her feet and gave a quick wave in response; she'd taken a huge hit, but she still seemed like she could fight.

Wes and York leapt in to attack its back immediately. The pair worked around each other, carving almost a dozen cuts into the savage wyvern's hide in the span of a few seconds, all the while ducking or darting around the others' attacks. Wes had spent enough time training with York that he knew when and where the older hunter would strike and how, and no doubt York knew how he was going to move as well. For that brief moment, they might as well have been one mind in two bodies.

That tempo was thrown off, though, as the beast managed to push itself back onto its feet with an angered roar, slamming its foot down in the space between the two hunters and forcing them to leap back. As they did, the brute swung its tail around, causing Sapphire to yelp in surprise as the appendage whipped towards her. The huntress brought her shield up and ducked, causing the lash to bound off her shield, but she was still thrown onto her back. Snow had rushed in to attack the enraged monster's face after recovering, but the beast had seen her coming, swiping its spiked jaw out towards her and deflecting her sword before thrusting its chin into her shield, sending the huntress sliding back. With none of the hunters in its way, the Deviljho once more threw its body into the gate.

The wood splintered violently as the beast's flaming head burst through the gate, cracking in half horizontally from the force of the wyvern's body running into it. The lower half collapsed inwards as the beast pulled its head free, the broken section of the door crashing to the ground inside with a loud boom and a gust of wind strong enough to force the hunters to raise their arms to block the small sandstorm it caused.

"Son of a-! We need to stop it from getting into the city!" Viper shouted, nocking three arrows on his bow and loosing them into the Deviljho's side. Though the projectiles found their mark, they were hardly enough to slow it down. "We need something strong enough to blast this bastard to kingdom come!"

Wes glanced down at his sword at the archer's words, realizing that the marker was glowing red once more. Quick as he could, the hunter drove the tip of the blade into the sand and revved the upper half of the handle twice more, filling the last phial with energy from the blade. As he pulled the blade free, he twisted the lower half of the grip and morphed the weapon into its pike form, twirling it around behind him and leveling the bladed end at the Deviljho as it began to step into the opening it had created. His free hand landed on a small grip that was protruding from the middle of the shaft, his thumb hovering over a small button at the top.

"Everyone, get clear!" he shouted, angling the tip of the polearm upwards. "Hey, pickle-head! You forgot something!" The beast tilted its head slightly to the side and revealed one of its eyes at the sound of his mocking tone as the others moved away. Just what he was hoping for.

"_BLAST!"_

The hunter pressed his thumb down on the button and pulled the handle back, causing a massive burst of energy to fire out of the tip of the weapon like a small star. The projectile shot forward at an almost blinding speed, slamming into the side of the beast's head and exploding in a flash of red light. The voracious beast let out a surprised roar of agony as its body was thrown to the side, crashing into the wall behind it before slumping down and going limp.

"How did that taste?!" the hunter taunted as he morphed the weapon back into sword form and sheathed it across his back.

That was one of the three phial attacks Monyreak had added to the weapon, and the researcher had made it very clear that Blast was strongest at a distance. For whatever reason, the projectile gained strength as it traveled, and at almost thirty yards away, the shot would've been almost full power. Not only that, but he landed a headshot on it: a strike that powerful had to have been enough to put the brute wyvern down.

"Nice shot, son!" York complimented, sheathing his dual blades and placing his hand on Wes' shoulder. "That's one hell of a weapon you've got there. But… you _are _still going to use the swords I made, right?"

"I'm just borrowing this one, Pa, no worries. Now then, how about we-"

"Uh, guys?" Sapphire said, pointing into the darkened corridor. "Does anyone else see that red light…?"

The hunters glanced over to the broken gate, and Wes raised an eyebrow at the sight of a deep crimson glow filling the room. The low rumbling of the Deviljho's breath could be heard from within, eliciting a startled gasp from the hunter.

"It… It survived?! But… I was sure…"

The hunters watched in a stunned silence as the beast righted itself, a deep red glow emitting from its hide as it turned to face the group. Wes' attack had definitely done a lot of damage; half of the creature's jaw spikes had been broken off, and a huge layer of flesh had been seared off of the right side of its head, its eye included. He thought he could even see a portion of the creature's skull beneath the charred flesh.

And yet, the savage wyvern stood as though it hadn't been wounded at all. A single, glowing red eye stared at them from the blanket of draconic fire blazing from the beast's head and back, gradually growing in intensity as the red aura around it died down, leaving a massive black blaze streaking across the length of the Savage Deviljho's back and tail. Not even in books had Wes heard about one of these wyvern's being capable of a blaze this intense; the air itself even felt heavy with the beast's power.

"Get down!" York suddenly shouted, throwing Wes out of the way and diving to the ground. The blue- and green-eyed hunter hadn't even noticed the brute wyvern rear its head, building up another wave of dragon element to envelop them with. He saw the others get out of the way as well, and a moment later, the Deviljho unleashed its draconic breath.

The stream was positively massive, covering more than four times the distance that it had previously. Even though they had thrown themselves out of the way, every one of the hunters had gotten caught up at the edge of the stream, launching all five of them several yards back, their armor sparking red with dragonblight.

Wes coughed once and pushed himself up, wincing as a wave of pain washed over his body for a moment. He saw the Deviljho look after the hunters for a moment, and a pang of fear shot up his spine; all five of them had been hit! They were easy targets for the voracious creature now! Fighting against the added weight of the dragon element coursing through the metal plates of his armor, the hunter pushed himself up to one knee, keeping his balance by sticking the tip of the Triblade into the ground. He glanced to the side to see how the others were doing, grunting when he realized that only Snow was close to getting onto her feet right now. He quickly turned his head back to the creature, expecting the Deviljho to be bearing down on them once more.

He was shocked, though, as the beast's eye glowed a bright red for a moment, and instead of rushing after the incapacitated hunters, the Deviljho turned its back on them and slammed its shoulder into the wall between it and the streets of the city outside. Wes heard a massive rumble as the bricks and stones making up the wall shivered and cracked from the blow. Even as thick as the walls were, they were no match for the voracious beast.

_Wes, focus! It isn't going after you right now! You need to get yourself pulled together and help the others up before it's too late!_

He shook his head slightly at Silver's words, turning back to the others. His father was on all fours, pushing himself up slowly as a red bolt of dragon element sparked across his back, while Sapphire was just now pushing herself up into a sitting position, a thin stream of blood running down over her left eye. Her eyes looked a little glazy, actually: she must've taken a harder hit than he thought… Viper was propped up on his knees, having thrown his helmet off and was currently chugging down a jar of nulberry extract, and Snow was fully standing, grabbing a jar herself to rid the blight from her body. Both hunters were enveloped in a blue misty aura as the extract purged the blight from their bodies.

"You alright, Pa?" he asked, twisting himself around as he reached into his pouch for his own extract.

"Could be better… I have enough back problems as is, and dragonblight doesn't make it much better," the man grunted in reply. "I'll be fine… How are the rest of you doing?"

"Feel like I just got blasted by a wave of fire," the archer replied, pushing himself back up and picking up his bow. "Then again, I surfed down the side of a volcano last week, so I think I'll live."

Another rumble shook the arena, drawing their gazes back to the brute wyvern attempting to break into the city proper. Wes pulled out his nulberry extract and downed the contents, breathing a sigh of relief as the red lightning was purged from his body, and he pushed himself up fully, offering a hand to his father. York waved him off, though.

"Leave me for now, I'll be back up soon enough… Focus on stopping it from getting too far the city!"

"He's right," Sapphire added, groaning a little in pain and wiping the blood from her forehead. "It's… more important to keep it from damaging the city… or killing people!"

"I can't just-!"

"Wes, listen to me!" Snow cut in, grabbing hold of his arm. "That thing _wants _to break into the city! It left us alone for a reason! Give them a chance to recover on their own! For now, we need to get moving!"

"But-!"

"No buts, Wes!" his father shouted. "You have a job to do! Now do it!"

The hunter let out a frustrated grunt and turned back towards the creature as it slammed into the arena wall again. He didn't like it, but they were right; if they didn't step in now, the entire city would be in danger.

"Alright, fine! Viper, Snow, let's kick its ass into next week!"

"About time!" the archer laughed, breaking into a sprint alongside the other two hunters as they rushed the Savage Deviljho.

Quick as they were, though, they weren't able to reach it in time before the beast slammed into the wall for a fourth time, busting the stone blockade down in a shower of tan stones and sand while the light of the streets outside became visible beneath its legs. Wes gritted his teeth and pressed on while the beast broke through the pillars outside of the structure, stomping into the street and letting out an ear-splitting roar. The walls mostly blocked the sound, leaving the hunters undeterred as they raced out into the street after the brute wyvern.

* * *

A subtle noise from outside caused Frost to turn his head towards the window and narrow his gaze. To any ordinary person, the noise might as well have been absolutely silent, but to his focused Hybrid ears, it was like a bird flying into the glass pane. Or, in this case, a giant monster breaking through something incredibly large, and roaring into the skies as if to pronounce its strength.

_Something isn't right about this, _he thought, pushing himself to his feet and making his way over to the stand his armor had been set up on. He'd never heard a creature roar in quite that same way before. It almost sounded… chained. Not in the sense that it had been captured on a hunt or imprisoned in the arena, but something else entirely.

It was like the beast was being controlled.

Frost garbed himself in his Barioth armor- Snow had brought it the day before on his request- pulling his helmet on last and grabbing hold of his sword before making his way towards the door. Just as he was about to reach the knob, the door opened, revealing the figure of the nurse on the other side. She looked equal parts frightened and shocked when her gaze fell on him, although that was something Frost had grown used to.

"Oh! M-Mr. Frost! You're… armored? How… Er… Doctor Connor specifically told me you shouldn't leave the ward until tomor-"

Frost rolled his head and pushed past her, not intent on waging a silent argument with the nurse about why he was leaving. It didn't matter what the doctor thought. He was healed enough. There were more important matters to attend to; namely, the creature at the arena. Snow had said she would be going there today to watch the examination, which meant that she most likely jumped in as soon as the beast broke out. She'd say that it was only to stop the monster, or something along those lines, but Frost knew she enjoyed a good fight as much as he did. He just didn't want her getting harmed.

Or to steal all the fun, for that matter.

* * *

"Watch out!"

Wes grunted in shock as the brute's lash whipped towards him, slamming against the side of the building next to him before coming into contact with him. He raised his blade up in time to block it, but the attempt was awkward, and Wes was thrown back several dozen feet into an armory, crashing through the front entrance in a shower of splinters and glass shards.

"Again with the buildings..." he groaned, pushing himself up and shaking some of the debris off of him before running out into the streets to reengage the brute wyvern.

Fortunately, those two hunters had managed to clear out most of the spectators who were standing around the arena before it escaped. Only a few civilians or hunters could be seen running away from the creature like their lives depended on it, which they probably did. A few higher ranked hunters had attempted to assist them in fighting the beast as well, but most of them had either fled by now or had gotten killed. Even among Deviljhos, this one was beyond anything Wes had faced before.

As he stepped into the streets, he saw that the voracious wyvern had already stomped past his position, making its way towards the center of the city with Snow in pursuit on the ground and Viper on the rooftops. The beast broke its way past carts and stalls, smashing them into pieces as if they were nothing, even bumping into houses and buildings as it zigzagged down the cobblestone streets, breaking down walls and knocking bricks free from where they had been laid. Every step it took just caused more and more damage.

Thinking fast, the hunter sprinted towards the creature, focusing his energy and enveloping himself in the bright red aura of Demon Mode. Though it drained his stamina, the physical boost it gave him would be a massive help in a situation like this. He considered briefly using Spirit Mode instead, but his father's warning about it echoed through his mind, and out of concern for himself he decided against it. Hopefully, he wouldn't need to use it.

With his enhanced speed and his allies helping slow the Deviljho's pace, the hunter caught up to the savage beast, racing past Snow as the huntress skirted away from some falling debris and kicking off the ground as hard as he could into the side of a building several yards away. He coiled his legs against the wall and grasped the handles of his dual blades before pushing off the wall, launching himself towards the Deviljho's side with all of his strength. As he rocketed towards the brute, he spun his body about, whipping the twin swords from their straps and transforming himself into a tornado of steel and red energy, tearing into the voracious wyvern's hide half a dozen times and causing it to stumble to the side with a pained roar and smash into the building across the street.

Wes dropped to the ground with a roll, slashing the beast's leg twice more as he got to his feet, but was forced to dart to the side to avoid being struck by the Deviljho's leg. He whirled around, letting out a short groan as he saw the beast had once again begun rampaging down the streets.

"This would be a lot easier if you'd stop running away!"

By then, Snow had already passed him and was attempting to trip the wyvern up, but the Hybrid was having little success in doing so even with her incredible speed and strength. It was like no matter what they did to the beast, it just kept on pressing forwards without concern! They might as well be flies buzzing around monster dung to this thing!

"Wes, Snow, we have to bring a stop to this thing ASAP!" Viper called from above, loosing a wave of five arrows into the beast's back as he did. Only a few managed to pierce the creature's hide, though: the torrent of black flames running along its spine deflected a number of them, some of which even burning to a crisp after a few seconds of exposure. "I can see a crowd of people down the road! We can't let it catch up to them!"

"Dammit, we need something stronger!" Wes shouted, wincing slightly as the drain from Demon Mode continued to sap his stamina. Despite that, though, the hunter instead drew upon the aura more, giving himself another boost as a few purplish wisps of energy streaked through the red aura. He usually avoided tapping into Archdemon Mode, considering its stamina drain was even stronger, but that was a risk he had to take now.

The hunter launched himself towards the creature as he pulled a rope dart from his pouch, whizzing past Snow and flinging the sharpened end around the Deviljho's ankle. The rope spun around its leg once before the blade stuck deeply into the raging beast's leg, and Wes slid to a halt, bracing himself as the rope was drawn taut. He grimaced as he felt himself yanked forwards, but he maintained his grip on the rope and pulled back as hard as he could, feeling that he was beginning to drag the beast's leg down. Still, even with the strength of Archdemon Mode, he wasn't able to slow the savage beast down enough.

"C'mon… Need more power…"

Before he tried to draw out more of Archdemon mode's strength, though, a blur of white caused his eyes to flicker over to the side, where he saw Snow taking hold of the rope just in front of him.

"Leave this it to me!" she shouted, gritting her teeth and pulling as well. "Attack it once I trip it!"

"Got it! Give 'em hell, Snow!"

The hunter released his grip on the rope and backed off, allowing the sword wielder to take up the task on her own. Wes stared in amazement, though, as the woman let out a furious shout, slamming her foot into the ground below and pulling back with incredible strength. The Deviljho let out a startled yelp as the woman's strength rocketed up, pulling its leg out from beneath it and causing the beast to trip up at last, smashing head first into the cobblestone street below.

"Now's your chance!" Snow shouted, dropping to one knee as the strain of the effort caught up to her. "We need to put it down for good!"

Wes grunted in reply, tightening his grasp on his blade as he darted around the beast's left side. He slashed its tail once and spun about, cutting deeply into the voracious monster's thigh twice before lunging forwards, using his heightened speed and strength to drill into the Deviljho's chest with almost countless stabs. The hunter drew his arm back and slashed a wide line across the beast's neck, noticing the crackling red marker at the base of the blade as he slid to a stop in front of the beast's head. The hunter revved the handle, filling the third phial of his blade before morphing it into axe form, gripping near the head of the weapon with his free hand as the blades finished sliding into place. His thumb landed on another button that had been revealed by the phials being loaded, and he narrowed his eyes on the beast's head as it began to lurch forwards.

"Alright, you son of a bitch," he said, huffing in exhaustion. "Let's see you get up after this one..."

As the beast tried to push itself up, he pressed the button on the axe, causing the head of the weapon to blaze to life with red energy. He swung the weapon around in front of him once, barely missing the front of the creature's head, and planted his foot firmly behind him as he brought the axe back, halting its momentum with the power of Archdemon Mode.

"Eat this!" Wes roared, pulling the blazing axe up and over his head in a full-power swing.

"_FORCE!"_

The weapon slammed into the ground right in front of the Deviljho's head, splitting the cobblestone walkway easily. As it did, a massive torrent of red energy erupted from the blade and the ground below, blasting the Deviljho's head back in a storm of cobblestone and energy. The concussive force of the strike was enough to send the beast back almost ten yards, lifting it a few feet off the ground as well. The massive creature slammed into the ground, barreling into the side of a smithy as it slid to a stop. The beast's leg twitched once, as though the monster intended to rise once again, but before it had the chance to try, the building it had crashed into collapsed, showering the brute wyvern in an avalanche of stone and wood, burying most of its upper body and its head in the process. After a few moments, the beast went limp once more.

"Did… did that finish it?" the hunter gasped, letting the red and purple aura around him dissipate as his weapon morphed back into sword form. The wave of exhaustion that hit him immediately afterwards was like an entire caravan going downhill; he groaned as he stumbled and fell back, but fortunately Snow moved in to catch him, grunting lightly as she eased him down to the ground. "Please tell me… that thing's dead now… I don't think my arm can take another shock like that…"

"If that attack didn't, then the building did," she assured, reaching into his pouch and procuring some dash juice for the hunter to drink. Wes took the jar from her shakily, being careful not to spill any as he tipped his head back. As soon as he gulped down the last mouthful, the concoction began to take effect, and the hunter felt his stamina coming back.

"Gods, about time we stopped that thing," Viper said, leaping down to where the two hunters were resting and strapping his bow to his back. The archer looked over the Deviljho's body for a moment before letting out an impressed whistle and folding his arms. "Y'know, out of all the ways we coulda killed it, throwing it into a building was the last idea that came to mind. I mean, blowing up a building full of explosives would've been cooler, but I'll take this too."

"I really hope I don't have to pay for that," Wes said, pushing himself up into a sitting position and staring at the ruined smithy. "I spent almost all my money on this armor. I can't afford to have an entire building replaced…"

"Relax, I'm sure the city will cover the cost," the archer chuckled, patting him on the shoulder twice. "I'm just glad I still have a few arrows left. Do you have any idea how many shots I fired into that thing?" The hunter shifted his gaze to the exposed parts of the monster's back and side: sure enough, there were enough arrows sticking out of its hide to make the Deviljho resemble a pin cushion, though several of the projectiles were charred to the point of uselessness now. "Not to mention that breath attack… My helmet got fried pretty good."

"At least you didn't get slammed into a four-foot thick wood and metal door, bow boy," Snow mused, jabbing the archer in the side with her finger. "I think I left a print on the darn thing…"

"I got thrown through a building," Wes laughed. "I think that should count for more, don't you?"

"I think that depends on the building, bud."

"Bull crap, a building's a building."

The sounds of numerous people cheering drew the hunters' attention behind them, where they saw a massive crowd of civilians and hunters approaching the scene of the battle. Wes allowed himself a slight grin at the sight; they were still a ways off, but the fact that he could hear them that clearly meant they were probably cheering as loud as they had been at the arena.

"Well, would ya look at that? They probably think we're heroes," Viper laughed, sweeping the layer of hair over his right eye away, only for it to fall back into place the moment after. "Then again, who could blame 'em? I always wanted my own action figure!"

"Like they'd make you into one before me," Wes chuckled sarcastically. "Ah, who am I kidding; we all deserve one."

As the crowd continued towards them, the dual blade wielder noticed a trio of people exit the house next to the smithy: two parents and a child. The three paused for a moment, looking over the fallen creature before backing away from it quickly and making their way towards the hunters.

"You three finally killed that… that… _thing?" _the woman asked, looking over them with an expression of pure awe. "Thank heavens!"

"We didn't want to get caught up in the crowd, so we hid inside of there," the man said. "We thought it might just pass by and go after the crowd… But I should've known that you hunters would bring it down!"

"Ah please, it's the least we could do," Viper grinned, brushing his shoulder off and letting out a short laugh. "But, if you'd like my autograph…"

"C'mon Viper, you're starting to act like me," Wes cut in, pushing himself up and standing alongside his friend. "That being said, if you want _my _autograph-"

"Alright you two, knock it off," Snow interjected, grabbing the two hunters by the ear and pulling them apart, causing them both to yelp in shock. "There's been a lot of damage to the city, remember? No one's getting an action figure or signing any autographs for a while."

"A man can dream, can't he?"

"Viper, you can be quiet now."

Wes let out a short laugh, though he glanced down in confusion as he felt something tugging on the side of his faulds. The couple's kid had a hand on the navy cloth and was looking up at him with a big pair of blue eyes, slightly obscured by his long black hair. The hunter crouched down to eye level with the boy and smiled as friendly as he could. The kid couldn't have been much older than Kari was, and considering the reaction he had gotten from Dustin's kid, he was hoping that this one would at least be a little nicer.

"What's up, little guy?"

"Wha… What's your name?"

"My name? I'm Wes. How about you?"

"I'm Da-en."

The dual blade wielder missed the middle part of the kid's name as a loud rumble filled the air for a moment, causing them all to turn back towards the wreckage of the smithy in shock. Wes' eyes went wide as he saw one of the large slabs of stone slide from the top of the pile, shattering against the ground by the Deviljho's foot. The beast's body, meanwhile, had once again been encased in that strange red aura, and its leg was beginning to twitch violently, causing more stones to fall from the pile.

"N-no way… Not again…!" Viper gasped as the group took several steps back. They stood in a stunned silence as the Deviljho's leg lifted into the air, and with a powerful kick, flung itself upright once more, sending the debris that had been piled on top of it to the ground below. The savage creature turned to face the hunters once more, and Wes felt himself grow a little queasy at the sight of the monster' head.

Almost half of the beast's face had been torn away by the blast of his Force attack. While before he could only see a small bit of the Deviljho's skull beneath the wounds Blast had left behind, now almost a full quarter of the monster's skull was visible to them, drenched in blackened blood while the darkness of the wyvern's empty eye socket practically stared into his soul. The bone was visibly cracked too.

"That's… That's not possible!" Snow said after a moment. "There's no way it could… How did it get back up with an injury like that?!"

As they watched, the black blaze of dragon element once again poured from the beast's back, enveloping almost all of its head and back in the substance, leaving only the portion of its skull uncovered. The flames didn't stop there, though. The dragon element began to pour out of the beast's sides, its underbelly, its tail, even its legs. Enough energy was being released from the Savage Deviljho's body that its entire figure had been enveloped by the black flames, save for that one section of its skull.

Wes couldn't even bring himself to respond. At this point, he didn't even think this creature was a monster anymore. It had transformed itself into a cloud of pure darkness, black flames and red lightning flickering and flashing across its entire body. It was like it had become a demon, straight from the depths of Hell itself. Fear gripped the hunter's chest like a vice. True, unimaginable fear at the sight in front of him. His mind had gone almost completely blank, and he assumed the same of his comrades; they stood where they were, eyes wide and mouths agape at the mass of darkness standing before them.

_Wes! WES! Get a grip, man!_

_S-Silver, what… What is this thing… What the hell is this thing?!_

_I don't know, but I do know what you're going to be if you don't move your ass: dead!_

_I-I can't move! I can't do anything against this thing! I've already hit it with everything I have twice, and it just keeps getting up even stronger! _

_Is that any excuse to give up?!_

_YES! YES IT IS!_

_Well too bad! You are NOT going to get your ass killed because you're too terrified to do anything! Thank me for this later!_

_What're you-_

Wes jolted in place slightly as Silver's voice died away. Something felt… strange. He glanced back into the Deviljho's face as a rumbling, ragged breath escaped its jaws, but to his surprise, that fear that gripped his chest a moment before was completely gone. In fact, it felt like it had never even _been _there! He felt as though he could stand up to this beast, no matter how terrifying it was!

But he couldn't do that alone, and before they could even try to fight this thing, they had to get this family out of the way!

"Snow, Viper!" he shouted, turning towards the pair quickly. "Snap out of it! Come on, I need your help!"

While Viper didn't show much of a reaction, the sword wielder blinked in surprise and turned towards him in shock. She was about to say something before another groan escaped the Deviljho's maw, causing the two hunters to turn their necks towards it. The beast had moved its head behind a large section of the building that was lying in the street. It was going to throw the chunk of debris at them!

Quick as they could, the two hunters leapt to the side: Wes wrapped an arm around the black-haired child and pulled him out of the way while Snow tackled Viper over to the opposite end of the street, breaking the archer out of his trance in the process.

"Ow! That was my head you just smashed into the floor!"

"Deal with it!"

A second later, the dark beast threw its head up, launching the giant piece of stone towards the hunters. Wes glanced over his shoulder to make sure he was clear of the projectile, but he felt his heart skip a beat as he realized that the kid's parents were still in the middle of the street.

Before he could even utter a shout, the boulder struck the pair. One second they were there, and the next they were gone, their bodies having been carried back down the street along with the piece of the building they had been struck by. Wes stared at the spot they had been standing before glancing down at the black-haired child. The kid was face down, shivering and clutching his head with both hands in fear. He wasn't sure if the kid had seen what had happened…

"Urg… Hey… Hey, uh, Dane?" he said quickly, patting the child's shoulder. "C'mon, Dane, it's… it's alright. I'll get you out of here."

The child didn't respond, and with a short sigh the hunter scooped the kid into his arms and darted over to an alley off to the side of the street.

"Snow! Viper! Keep it busy!" he shouted as he reached the opening to the alley. "I'll get the kid out of here!"

"Ung… Alright, but get your ass back here as soon as possible!" Viper replied, gazing up at the beast before them. "We'll need all the help we can get…"

As the dual blade wielder ducked into the alley, though, he heard a loud crumbling noise behind him.

"Wes, look out!"

He glanced over his shoulder and grunted in surprise; the Deviljho had rammed its head into the thin space behind him, as if it were trying to chase after him! Its body was far too wide to do so, but the hunter cursed as he saw a huge cloud of dragon element building up in the dark beast's maw. There was no place for him to go! He glanced down hopelessly at Dane as the child buried his face into the hunter's side fearfully. The exit to the alley way was too far for him to make in time, even if he did activate Spirit Mode. At best, he might survive, but Dane probably wouldn't be that lucky.

The hunter ducked low and held the kid close, bracing himself for the oncoming wave of dragon breath to wipe them away. He thought that if he could feel afraid right now, he'd probably have soiled himself. At least Silver helped keep his dignity intact. Wes shut his eyes tight as he heard the Deviljho's roar, and the oncoming wave of dragon element, knowing that once it hit, it would be all over.

He heard something else a moment before, though; a light flutter, and the sound of plated boots making contact with the ground below, as well as the clinking of armor. There was a forceful grunt, and then a bright flash of blue filled the alley way, followed by a massive gust of wind that pushed the hunter back several yards. He slowly blinked his eyes open and turned his head around, realizing that somehow, he had survived the beast's onslaught. His eyes happened upon a figure garbed in white standing between him and the dark beast opposite them, both of his arms outstretched before him with smoke rising from his hands.

"Frost?!"

"Sorry I'm late."

Wes afforded himself a slight smile at the long sword user's appearance; exactly how the man had saved them from the beast's breath, he didn't know, but at the moment, he didn't care either.

"Drive it back! I'll be back to help soon!"

"Take your time..."

The dual blade wielder turned and rushed out of the alley way as he heard the masked hunter unsheathe his blade, as well as a slight crackle of electricity before another flash of blue filled the alley way. Wes turned as he ran out of the alley way, letting out a surprised yelp as he almost ran headlong into a red-armored figure.

"Wes! There you are!" Zephyr said, stepping towards the hunter quickly. "Are you alright?"

"He looks pretty banged up," Hugh grunted, shifting his shoulder slightly. "We were cutting around this row of buildings to come help you guys out! Where the hell is York?!"

"Back at the arena, I think," Wes replied. "He and Sapphire both were wounded, and they stayed back to heal up. I don't know why they haven't caught up yet…"

"Bah, son of a- alright, well, that can wait. We have to-"

"Uncle Hugh, can you please go back and check on them?"

The great sword user cocked his head to the side quizzingly at the hunter's request. "What? Why? They're probably fine! Besides, I wanna kick me some Jho butt!"

"Hugh, he's right. If York or that girl were harmed badly, they may need medical attention…" Zephyr said, putting a hand on the sandy-blonde haired man's shoulder. "I think we can leave the beast to Wes and his friends."

"But I-! But you-! Grr… Alright, fine, but I ain't getting' left out next time, y'hear?!"

Wes watched for a moment as the man stormed off towards the arena before turning back towards the Lagiacrus-clad hunter. "Thanks Uncle Zephyr. I really-"

"I did that because I trust you and your friends will be able to stop this thing, Wes," the man cut in, waving his prosthetic hand in the air before him. "I'll take the kid and get him to safety. YOU need to get back to the fight!"

"R-right!" Wes glanced down at the kid still clutching his side, patting his head lightly before pulling him off. "Dane, listen, Zephyr here will get you someplace safe. Don't worry, we'll put that thing in its place."

The kid simply nodded after a short moment, and Wes passed him off to the older hunter, who quickly ran down the street towards a crowd of people fleeing from the battleground.

"Good luck, Wes! Don't make me regret sending Hugh off like that!"

"No worries!" he called back, turning towards the alley once more. "We won't."

The dual blade wielder raced down the narrow space as fast as his legs would carry him, turning sharply as he rounded the corner and racing back towards the Deviljho. The dark beast had moved a few hundred yards down the path, and Wes realized just how close to the center of the city there were. The Loc Lac Tower shot straight up into the sky about a mile away from them, casting a massive shadow over the portion of the street he was running through.

Wes grimaced slightly at the sight of several bodies strewn about the path, both civilians and hunters alike. The poor souls must've gotten caught up in the beast's rampage while he had been talking with Hugh and Zephyr… Blood oozed from fresh wounds, while those who had managed to survive groaned in agony. Buildings were smashed, carts were destroyed, debris was everywhere… That beast had literally left a wake of destruction in its path.

Up ahead, though, he saw Frost and Snow were fighting the beast in tandem, doing their best to halt the dark creature's advance while Viper had once more taken to the rooftops, launching piercing arrows at the beast's head whenever the opportunity arose. A few other hunters had joined him; Wes counted two bowgunners and another archer flinging projectiles at the beast. Likewise, there was another hunter who had joined the twins in attacking the beast on the ground with a gunlance, although he was quickly sent flying back by a swipe of the Deviljho's tail. He slammed into the side of a building and rolled over, red lightning sparking across the green Rathian armor he wore.

Wes pushed ahead regardless, though, planting a hand on the hilt of the Triblade and revving the handle several times, this time in the opposite direction. Monyreak had said he could build up energy without having to strike anything with the blade, and that it would channel directly into the phials, though Wes recalled him recommending against that. Something about overtaxing the internal mechanisms. Even then, the hunter needed to try one last strike with the weapon, and he needed to do so quickly.

As he raced after his team, Wes once more activated Archdemon mode to bolster his speed and strength, quickly scrambling up the side of a building and making his way over the rooftops to get ahead of the beast. The blue-armored hunter revved the handle as he did so, until the handle refused to twist any more, and a small button clicked up just above the pommel.

"Frost! Snow! I need you two to stagger it!" he shouted, racing ahead of the beast as fast as his legs would go.

"Gotcha! Frost, Cross-Cut!" the huntress called.

The long sword user grunted in response, and the pair moved into position on either side of the dark beast, sheathing their weapons as they did. Wes ran another hundred feet or so before leaping down from the rooftops, landing with a roll and unsheathing the Triblade as he got to his feet. He flipped the blade into a reverse grip with his thumb hovering just over the button on the bottom. He narrowed his eyes as the skull-faced creature continued towards him, ready to unleash the last attack from the blade at a moment's notice.

The hunter saw the twins leap onto the sides of the buildings on either side of the creature, about level with the Savage Deviljho's tail, and kick off towards the voracious beast. Snow pulled her sword from her belt as the spiked edge was once more expanded by a blade of crystalline-blue ice, nearly tripling its length and doubling its width. As the huntress swung the frozen sword upwards towards the base of the beast's tail, Frost activated his weapon's quickdraw, blasting the longsword out of its sheath with a flash of electricity. Their blades absolutely tore through the Deviljho's tail, meeting halfway inside the dark creature's body for a moment before continuing on their arcs and severing the appendage completely, causing the skull-faced creature to whine in agony before lurching forwards, its severed tail landing in the middle of the street behind it with a heavy thump. Frost and Snow landed deftly on the rooftops opposite each other, turning quickly towards the blue- and green-eyed hunter in the street below.

With the beast about fifty feet before him, Wes pressed down on the button, causing the blade to glow a bright red with energy as the edges separated.

"Here's your dessert!" the hunter shouted as the beast reared its head up to look at him, staring intently at him with its single glowing red eye. "And this one's to go!

"_DRIVE!"_

The hunter swung the Triblade upwards, launching a crescent wave of red energy at the Deviljho's head. The projectile crashed against the beast's skull, immediately dissipating but forcing the beast's head back from the impact. Wes recovered immediately, though, and swung the weapon twice more in quick succession, launching two more equally large blades of energy at the dark beast's face, both of which impacted its skull with a sound like meat being torn apart. The Deviljho threw its head back with a pained roar, the repeated strikes having succeeded in cracking its skull open.

The hunter leapt back as the brute wyvern toppled forwards, avoiding being crushed beneath its body as it fell. He dropped the smoking red and silver blade as he slid to a halt, clutching the handles of his dual blades and racing towards the Deviljho's head.

He wasn't quite sure what came over him; he felt a peculiar surge of power from deep within himself as he dashed towards the dark creature's face, unlike that of Spirit or Demon mode. It was an energy that ran through his arms and into his blades, enveloping them in a blue glow that overtook the red aura of Archdemon mode. The hunter shot forwards, slashing both of his blades through the Deviljho's head with a shocking amount of ease. Even a hot knife through butter would've had more resistance! The hunter twisted around and slashed both blades through the brute wyvern's necks, a deep blue after trail following each, before his momentum caught up to him and the hunter slid a few feet to the side of the beast's head as the blue glow died down. A second later, he heard the sound of the beast's hide being split, and a massive spray of black blood spurted from its head, followed by four separate pieces of its head falling to the ground with sickening _thumps. _

He let out a low breath and twirled his sabers once before sheathing them on his back and once more allowing Archdemon Mode to deactivate.

"Sorry, but this restaurant just closed," he muttered. "Try someplace in hell where you belong."

After a few moments of silence, the hunter fell forwards from exhaustion, barely catching himself with his hands and knees as the other hunters leapt down from the rooftops and rushed over to him.

"Holy shit, man, what in the world was that?!" Viper asked, crouching beside the hunter as he caught his breath. "I mean, all of that was crazy nuts, but what was that blue flash?"

"Flash…?" Wes replied slowly. "I mean, there was a blue light, and then… I just swung."

"Just swung?" Snow asked incredulously. "Wes, I don't know if you know this, but you completely vanished for a second there! I saw you rush its head, and the next moment it was in pieces!"

"There were those blue lines that split through its head at the same time," one of the bowgunners added. "I've never seen anything like that before… Actually, 'cept for that guy," he continued, pointing towards Viper. "Didn't your hands flash yellow for a second or two before you launched that lightning volley?"

"Come to think of it…" Viper mused, glancing at his own hand and then looking down towards Wes. "Maybe-"

The archer was cut off by the sound of a pained grunt from above, causing the group to look over in surprise as two figures fell from the top of a nearby roof, one in black and the other in white. It took a moment for Wes to realize that the latter was his father. York landed atop the black-cloaked figure and extended the blade from his wrist, pointing the tip of the silvery blade at the man's throat.

"Gotcha this time," the one-eyed hunter said venomously, though he glanced up at the hunters and the fallen beast behind them. "Well, looks like things got taken care of around here, at least."

"Mr. Adler?" Snow asked. "What are you doing? Who is that?"

"Our culprit. Someone mind helping me tie the bastard up? I think there are some questions that need to be answered…."

* * *

**Author Notes: Please review! Hey, I'm not dead! Sorry I haven't posted anything in a while, I've been busy with family, friends, and new video games since before Christmas. Not that this hasn't been a productive few weeks, mind you: I do have two other stories that are taking some of my attention at the moment!**

**But this chapter… Hoo boy, this chapter. Longest fight scene I have ever written, and with hunters dropping in and out here and there, it started getting a little crazy at a few points. This is why I like keeping numbers small. I think a few people will at least be pleased to know how Damien got to the point where he was in Frontier Lineage: yes, he did get his nickname from Wes of all people, and what happened to him this chapter is what leads to him being forced to live with his grandfather instead. To think, he and Kari could've been friends sooner if not for a ravenous beast murdering its way through the city!**

**I'm sure that a few fans of Devil May Cry might have seen a few moves and names called out from the series! Pretty much the biggest inspiration for all of this chapter was playing copious amounts of DMC4: Special Edition. I will say that after playing that game at length, I do prefer the older games to the reboot. DmC was great and all, but it just lacks the same life that the older games have in my opinion.**

**Still, DmC did have its own part to play in this chapter. Apart from the Triblade being based off of that game's version of Rebellion, all three musical themes I used for inspiration for this fight came from DmC as well! That's right, there are **_**three **_**tracks this time! Each one fits in with a different form that the Savage Deviljho took on in this chapter: "How Old is Your Soul" was the first part, part two was "Gotta Go", and the third section was "Falling Apart", all three of which are written by the band Combichrist.**

**I also used different names outside of writing to reference each form the Deviljho took after being resurrected. After getting back up the first time, it became Demonjho, and the monstrosity that it turned into after getting up the second time was Terrorjho. I had a field day thinking of ways to make this thing very unique, and what better way than to make it into a giant zombie-creature straight out of a hunter's nightmares?**

**That being said, I did have a few hilarious typos when writing this, one of which was misspelling "Savage Beast" as "Savage Beat". I just imagined the Deviljho beat boxing down Loc Lac while Wes and Snow were being dragged along behind it on that rope, and I thought to myself "This is it. This is the way the world will end". Of course, I'm not quite done with the story yet, so beat boxing monsters will have to destroy civilization as we know it some other time.**

**I'm happy to report that I do have a pretty substantial amount of progress done with Driven though! Chances are I'll start posting that during my next "break" from The Master Corps, which will give me time to write a few more chapters of TMC and get a backlog going again. I was hoping Everwood might see that same kind of progress, but that story's going a little bit slower on account of a rather unique circumstance surrounding it, so it won't be ready for a while. **

**In any case, be sure to let me know what you liked or didn't like this time around, and feel free to question every little thing you want! I love that shit, after all. Hope you all had a happy holiday season, and be sure to keep an eye out for the next chapter! Things are starting to get interesting now!**

**Playing: Assassin's Creed: Syndicate (love the hell out of this game, 10/10 would play again), Halo 5 (screw the Requisition system), The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (I wasn't expecting it to be as difficult as it is, but it's still an excellent game), MH4U, SSB Wii U/ 3DS, DMC4: Special Edition**

**Listening to: The Offspring, Electric Area, Combichrist**

**Watching: RWBY Volume 3 (better known as the volume that makes grown men cry), Red vs Blue**

**Reading: TLC: Shadows of the Past by dashboardgecko**


	28. Aftermath

The Master Corps

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated._**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 28: Aftermath

"Well, isn't this just a right mess."

Trance let out a short sigh of agreement as he and Corrin passed through a section of Loc Lac's main street that the Deviljho had torn apart the day before. No, torn apart wasn't the proper phrase: it was more along the lines of 'decimated' or 'completely and utterly destroyed by a tornado of earthquakes'. The damage was catastrophic: buildings were smashed and crumbled, stalls had been burned or crushed, the streets were ripped up and filled with potholes and blackened prints from the beast's heavy feet moving down the road, some of which even revealed damaged pipelines underneath.

Then there were the bodies. So many people had died in that horrible creature's path that people were still carting the bodies off to bury them. Many civilians and hunters had been injured, and even greater numbers of people were mourning the loss of their families, businesses, homes, or whatever else they had lost in the devastation.

Trance was just glad that his brother had managed to escape the same fate. Never in Loc Lac's history had anything so devastating happened during the Hunter's Examination. Sure, there were a few nasty incidents, some hunters died before the bowgunners could stop the monsters, but never had there been something like this.

The fact that the hunters managed to stop the thing at all after it kept getting back up again was a miracle. Trance and Corrin had both seen the savage beast's carcass: black and charred beyond recognition, its head split into four pieces, two covered with flesh, two only bone and dried blood. It was beyond him how anyone could have performed such a feat with a sword, but he wasn't going to question something so plainly visible.

What was certain, at least, was that there was something else driving this creature to act. The hunter York had brought in a man garbed in black robes who seemed to have been the cause for the Deviljho's escape, and he pretty much damned himself with his innate rambling about his experiment being a success in front of a huge crowd of onlookers. He was supposed to be interrogated today, while some members of the council were holding a meeting regarding the finances required to cover the costs of repairs. The other members were occupied with overseeing the damage reports from the arena all the way to the Loc Lac Tower, which were about as numerous as the casualties from what he had seen.

"I still can't believe this all happened," Corrin mumbled, glancing around at the debris and the people rushing about trying to unbury lost ones or tend to the injured. "There's never been a monster attack inside of Loc Lac of all places. Nobody was prepared for something like this…"

"There was no way _to _prepare. The arena system was working fine for… Gods, since before either of us were even born," Trance said. "There's always close calls here and there, but there were contingencies in place to handle them. This one event managed to completely bypass every single one though! Nobody would've thought this could have happened in a million years."

"Well, it did happen, and it isn't a pretty sight. It'll take years to recover from all of this. You can probably forget about getting any days off from the Guild for a while, that's for sure."

"That's a little insensitive, don't you think?"

"Trance, our employers pretty much run the city. We are a part of the recovery effort now. And there is a _lot _to recover from. We're all going to be busy as hell, and there's no nice way to say that."

"I guess you're right… Man, now I'm really going to miss being able to ask for days off."

"You think you've got it bad? How am I supposed to maintain a relationship now?!"

"I told you it wouldn't last more than a year or two."

"I'd hit you for that one, but I don't think the hospitals need another person taking up space."

* * *

York let out a short sigh as he stepped down the dark corridor, flexing his hand as he drew near a thick wooden door with two Guild officers stationed in front of it. They tensed slightly as he stepped towards them, but relaxed almost immediately upon recognizing his face.

"I take it our friend hasn't been causing much trouble?"

"Nothing apart from the usual ramblings, Sir," the man to his left replied.

"Don't call me 'sir'. You two might want to take a break while I ask him a few questions," York said, glancing between the pair. "Unless you like hearing bones snap repeatedly, that is."

The men both paled slightly, but bowed and moved out of his way, allowing him to enter the man's cell. The room itself was lit by a few glowstones on either wall, and contained only three pieces of furniture: two chairs and a large rectangular table. His eye immediately fell on the man seated on the other side of the table, his wrists chained to the wooden surface to prevent him from moving much.

He wasn't exactly what York would say qualified as 'criminal', at least in appearance. There really wasn't anything remarkable about the guy, even. Just an average height, average build, average looking man with dark hair and eyes. Definitely not what York was expecting when he pulled the man's hood off the day before. He didn't expect this interrogation would be too difficult. The Guild had other people for this sort of thing, but for whatever reason they asked him to handle it instead. It was probably due to them being short on officers at the moment or something. That, or because they knew that he always got answers.

"So, Samuel Kedrick, right?" the hunter asked, closing the door behind him and walking up to the table. "Not gonna lie, you are a remarkably unimpressive supervillain."

"Ah, Mr. York Adler! Legendary hunter, ally of the Guild, and-"

"Capturer of your sorry ass, yeah, enough with the titles. I'm not here for chit chat, Kedrick."

The man cleared his throat and itched at the cuffs around his wrists before replying.

"Yes, well, I suppose you wish to know what the Guild dogs wished to know too, hmm? Unsurprising, really, but considering their luck, I'd already deem your attempt a lost cause! There's nothing you can offer me that will make me reveal anything, simple as-"

The hunter rolled his eyes and drew his tomahawk before slamming the blade down right between Kedrick's fingers with a loud _thunk_, leaving it stuck several inches deep. The man yelped in surprise and pulled his hands back, but the chains on his wrists didn't allow him to go much farther than half a foot.

"Are you mad?! You could have removed one of my fingers!"

"Yeah, sorry about that. Next time, I won't miss."

"…Ah. I-I see. So that's your strategy… Regardless, I will not allow idle threats to-"

"You want to hear a funny story, Kedrick? Where I grew up, fighting was a big part of life. Not just fighting, but hurting. Killing. When I was barely even ten, I could already kill a man twice my size with a rusty butter knife. And I could make it very, _very _painful the entire time. Now think for a second, how much better at that do you think I've gotten at that in the last thirty years of my life?"

Kedrick swallowed nervously as York stared him dead in the eye, and the man visibly paled under the hunter's glare. A few beads of sweat began to form on the researcher's forehead.

"Now that we've gotten that all cleared up, tell me: what exactly was one of Joshua's researchers trying to pull by unleashing a Savage Deviljho out into Loc Lac?"

"As I said before, I wished to see the results of the experiments my associates and I have been testing for so long now."

"Is that right? What kind of experiment are we talking here? Most social experiments I've heard about don't involve sending a giant mutated beast after crowds of innocent people."

"I am under strict orders from Mr. Joshua to not say."

"Really? You're going to try and play that card now? Well, I happen to have a few orders of my own," York said, pulling the empty chair out and taking a seat, propping his legs up on the table and leaving his axe stuck between Kedrick's fingers. "For instance, I was told not to make you lose too much blood. I was told I could only break a total of six of your bones. Doesn't mean I have to listen though. Would you prefer I not? I could get away with it, after all. I have lots of friends in high places."

"T-that won't be necessary! Ahem… The experiments were centered around a peculiar set of stones the Guild and the Corps have found over the course of several years, referred to as magma rubies. These artifacts- the magma rubies- they possess abilities the likes of which we've never seen! With just one, they allow the holder –if he has the willpower- to manipulate a being's thoughts, even control their movements!"

"Mind control, basically?" York asked, raising an eyebrow. _This is starting to sound more and more like the Brilliant Darkness all over again… _

"But it goes even _beyond _that!" Kedrick exclaimed, his eyes suddenly expanding in a crazed delight. "One of my colleagues theorized that it may even be possible to manipulate the minds of the deceased, turning them into mere puppets at the hand of the one who controls the ruby. Of course, using a living, breathing human as a subject of research is usually seen as… unethical, and it requires much more back bending than I was willing to do. Therefore, I wished to test my own theories on a monster! Not just any creature, though: I wished to see if it was possible to control the most powerful creature in Loc Lac! A Savage Deviljho, a mutated form of a beast feared by thousands, and a hunger that is nigh insatiable! And, I wished to see if it were possible to control it even when inflicted with mortal wounds, only to be met with outstanding success! It was revived not once, but twice, each time more powerful than before! Such beauty and strength lay within that creature's body, such potential only able to be brought out by the ruby itself!"

"Well, I can see you at least enjoy your work," the hunter muttered dryly. "From what I know, Joshua had all of these magma rubies under lock and key. Only he and a few other select individuals knew about where they were kept. So, tell me, how did you manage to get your hands on one?"

"It was the day of the Hunter's Examination, Mr. Adler! There weren't very many people in the department that day. Besides, Mr. Joshua's hiding place was so horribly obvious… Of course he would keep them stored behind that giant Sharq lance he keeps behind his desk. The wall panel is removable."

"Makes enough sense. Now here's another question for you: who was your accomplice?"

"Accomplice? You must be mistaken, Mr. York, I was acting alone!"

The hunter pulled his legs off of the table and pushed himself up from the chair, circling around to Kedrick's right while the researcher eyed him warily. As he drew close, he extended the blade hidden in his gauntlet and thrust it straight through the man's hand, piercing into the wood beneath. Kedrick let out an agonized scream as the steel blade split his flesh, and York kept the blade stuck there for a few seconds as his shouts died down.

"Don't play dumb. Remember who was chasing you across those rooftops?" he asked, slowly pressing the blade deeper and causing the researcher to wince. A small pool of blood was already forming below his hand. "That was me. I saw your black-robed friend, and I sent that Sapphire girl after him when you both split up. She told me he managed to slip away, and I'd like to make it easier on the officers out looking for him. Who. Was he."

"H-he's already long gone! There is no chance you'll be able to f-find him!" the man groaned in response, clenching his teeth. York twisted the blade slightly, causing Kedrick to cry out in pain once more. "Agh! Fisher! Cole Fisher! My lab assistant!"

"That's better," York said, pulling the blade free from the man's hand and patting his shoulder roughly, while Kedrick grasped at his wounded hand. "But we aren't nearly done here, pal. Back to the big issue here. Why did you send the Deviljho towards the Tower?"

"S-send it towards the Tower? You must be out of your mind! I simply-"

York extended his wrist blade once more, causing the man to shudder in fear.

"Even a fool could draw that conclusion. You used a ruby to mind control the Deviljho, then sent it towards the Tower. Why else would a rampaging monster known for its insatiable hunger ignore every opportunity for a snack just to head in a straight line? It could have easily tried taking one of the other streets it came to in order to chase down a few crowds of people. And even if that _were _all just a big coincidence, what would you have gone through all the trouble of nabbing one of those rubies for then? You really need to focus on leaving less holes in your story if you actually want to fool me. Unless, you'd like another hole in your other hand, that is."

"V-very well… There was an important meeting of the city council in the Tower that day. Every member of the council was supposed to be there. The… plan, was to have the Deviljho attack the Tower and, shall we say, interrupt."

"And so the plot thickens…" York muttered, retracting the blade and taking his seat. "Why 'interrupt' the meeting, huh? Doesn't sound like that has anything to do with your 'experiment'."

"Simple! I thought the city could do with a change in leadership! The men and women we have now are positively ancient, and who knows whether they're doing a bad job or a terrible one? Crime is running rampant in several parts of the city, spending is through the roof, and apparently certain laws can be added or dropped without any warning at all! Such corruption and foolishness will certainly-"

"Yeah yeah yeah, great. Politicians suck. Doesn't justify mass murder, Kedrick," York said, prying his axe free from the table and inspecting the edge. "So, who put you up to it?"

"I-! H-how do you…?"

"I have a few suspicions, Kedrick. You really aren't the super villain type. You knew people would die by releasing that Deviljho into the streets, sure. You knew how badly it would damage the city. But, you did it anyways, and attempted to justify it for some really shoddy reasons. That sounds an awful lot more like a henchman following someone's orders. There's no way this was spontaneous either. Someone knew that the Deviljho would be in the city, and it sure as hell wasn't you: Joshua said that you weren't informed about it being brought in for study. Someone also knew how to access the rubies, and Joshua told me he has a very involved process to keep anyone from figuring out where they were. I don't think a simple researcher would be privy to all of that information unless they had a source."

As he finished speaking, Kedrick let out a short chuckle, and York raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're as keen as the reports say, Mr. York! Yes, I was under someone's orders… But not even your threats will be able to make me divulge that information. I do not know who exactly was the mastermind behind this! I was contacted anonymously with the proposition, and it just so happened to… agree with certain philosophies I have. They gave me much information as well though… What does the name 'Brilliant Darkness' mean to you, Mr. York?"

"Big surprise…" he muttered, sliding his axe into the holder on the back of his belt and folding his arms. He had been expecting this. Now he was glad he had refrained from getting someone else in here to take notes on what they said. "So, the cult's on the rise again, huh? Looking to settle the score or something? I know their games, Kedrick. It's a real mess you let yourself get caught up in, that's for sure. How much do you actually know about them, now that you're being so honest with me?"

"Oh, enough. I know that they've existed for hundreds of years. I know that they worshipped the black dragon Alatreon and revered it as a deity. I know that a… certain legendary hunter was the main reason the cult was quite thoroughly devastated twenty years ago. I also know that this sect is entirely different from the original. The old members have all but completely abandoned their ways… No, this Darkness is born anew from the past, in the now. That… is all I know."

"So, the Darkness is back, and instead of trying to bring about the end of the world with their god, they're just trying to fuck with everyone's lives and cause as much trouble as possible? Is that it?"

"Ah, you are ignoring one significant detail, Mr. York… I may not know who our leader is, but I know what his vision is. He will change this country, nay, the world for the better! A collapse is necessary to set the groundwork for a new, better Venatoria! And that… Is something I would gladly wish to see."

"And doesn't that just sound dandy? I'll bet he promised everyone it would rain gumdrops every day and that everyone would have their own personal castle built on a cloud too. News flash, that's not how life works. I'll be sure to tell your mysterious employer that before I slit his throat."

"Good luck finding him, Mr. York," Kedrick sneered, though he winced at the wound in his hand as York opened the door and stepped out of the cell. He informed one of the officers that their guest might need some bandages before heading up the Tower. The council would definitely like to hear some of this…

* * *

"…and the north-western district is still dealing with the airship worker's strike, so channeling funds from there would only worsen the state of affairs."

"That doesn't mean the south-eastern district is doing any better! We're lucky we even have enough to pay our law enforcement to deal with all the crime, let alone the renovations to the market place."

"Are all of you really trying to say that we don't have the necessary funds to help afford a recovery effort for the north-eastern district?!"

"Sadly, it appears so, Mr. Huldrum."

Balestra narrowed his eyes as the other council members began to shift their gazes around at each other. Uncertainty hung in the air like smoke, and it was almost suffocating to them. It had been almost two hours now, and almost no progress had been made towards finding a solution to the problem at hand. The extensive damage done to both the north-eastern district and the arena had resulted in an astronomically high cost for repairs. The majority of the district was without water due to the damage done to the main pipelines, most of the businesses along that road had sustained at least some degree of damage, several hundred families were without homes, and that was just the tip of the iceberg.

The overall costs to repair the district and the arena, as well as compensate for lives lost, numbered well over several million zenny. The city treasury only had enough to cover a quarter of that at best, and the other districts could barely assist themselves for myriad reasons. Most of the meeting had been just that: the head of each district listing off all the reasons why they couldn't contribute to the effort.

Aries Huldrum, the head of the north-eastern district, was quite visibly frustrated by this. Balestra could see a few veins on the man's red face, several lines of sweat running down his head, and one of the most furrowed brows the Corps Head had laid eyes on. After listening to four different people deny him aid, his reaction was appropriate.

"Perhaps we could ask for aid from outside the city?" Wayne Delpho, the manager of the arena, suggested. He was almost as frustrated as Aries was, but he was at least able to keep his voice level. "Several other villages have a good deal of funds as well. Yukumo, Moga, Tanzia… They've all had very little issue with funds in recent history, yes?"

"A fair assessment," Head Councilor Pluvine remarked. "The document Mr. Adler delivered to us a few days ago suggests that Moga Village would have enough to dent a portion of the cost. We still have yet to receive reports from several other villages though, so we cannot determine whether there will be enough to completely cover the costs."

"What about some of the nobles in the city?" Marshall Kenway, head of the west district, asked. "Some of the wealthier families have a few million to their names, yes?"

"Nobles are stubborn folk though," Valerie Sectwen, head of Loc Lac's south-west district, answered. "I've been trying for years to get donations to the city from several families, yet very few are willing to send more than a few thousand zenny at best. The only one that has been remotely generous is the Leovirtus family, but Hugh is unlikely to have enough to help us much on his own."

"He's lucky I don't sue him for all of the damages done," Delpho scoffed. "It was his cousin that was in charge of making sure everything ran smoothly, after all. His failure to do so is the entire reason my arena and Mr. Huldrum's district are in shambles!"

"As I recall it, that Lyle fellow said he was busy keepin' a handful of other monsters from escaping into the city after all of yer men fled the scene," Calistro pointed out, causing the arena manager to wince slightly. "If'n it hadn't been fer him, we'd prolly still have a monster problem, and even more districts coulda been damaged. Last thing th' brat deserves after all that is a lawsuit."

"What of Balestra's Master Corp then?" Huldrum remarked, and immediately every head in the room turned towards the Corps Head. "Sir Balestra, if my memory serves me right, doesn't your organization have some fairly deep pockets?"

"We have a fair sum, yes," he replied, interlocking his fingers before him and fixing his gaze on Aries. "However, we do not have nearly enough to cover all of the costs either. Most of those funds go into either research or the salaries of the hunters and officers under my employ. Their payment is relatively high, though as discussed previously that was seen as a necessity in order to compensate them for the difficulty of the tasks put up to them."

"That was years ago, Balestra. And, as I recall, not only was it Mr. Lyle who was unable to contain the Deviljho, but it was one of the employees of Mr. Joshua's Science Department that orchestrated the entire thing. The department located beneath _your _building, might I add."

"As _previously_ discussed, Mr. Lyle performed to the best of his abilities under the circumstances. As for the Deviljho's escape, there is very little I could do to prevent one of Mr. Joshua's associates from acting as he did. The Science Department is a joint effort of both the Corps and the Guild itself, meaning I only have a portion of the jurisdiction over it. May I also add that it was a group of _my _hunters that managed to slay the beast in question?"

"That doesn't fix the fact that hundreds died!" Huldrum interjected. "My district is in shambles, Balestra! Loc Lac can only stand if each pillar supporting it remains, and currently one is in the process of crumbling! My district handles not only hunting businesses, but foreign tourism and affairs as well! Our city is not only the capital of Venatoria, but the largest hunting hub in the country! If we cannot support hunting, and if we cannot bring income in from foreign sources, then what remains? Very little to subsist off of, that's what!"

"Sir Balestra, what I believe Mr. Huldrum is trying to say is, are you able to provide any sum of money to the recovery effort?" Pluvine asked, shooting the north-eastern councilor a look to quiet him down. "It is appreciated that your organization has done much for the city of Loc Lac during its lifespan, but Mr. Huldrum has a valid point. The businesses in his district are necessary for a large part of the city's income, and without it the city itself might fall into debt."

"I say we just dissolve the Corps and take all those funds."

Balestra immediately shot a glare towards Councilor Delpho as the man stood up from his chair.

"What has the Corps even _done _for the city, Ms. Pluvine? As far as most of us are concerned, it's just a group of overpaid hunters who believe themselves to be better than every other hunter in the city. There are rumors circulating through almost every district that say members of the Corps are known to harass other hunters and demand special treatment from taverns and stores simply because of their status. It's an absolute stain on your organization's reputation, Balestra!"

"I have not received any complaints from any individuals about these matters, Mr. Delpho. Certainly if they were as profound as you make them out to be, I would have been alerted immediately, yes?"

"Maybe people are just afraid of the Master Corps coming to their homes, or their shops, and destroying everything inside for trying to speak up! Exactly what _does _your organization contribute, Balestra? Considering the massive underground tunnel connecting my arena- apologies, what remains of my arena- to your headquarters, I feel as though there should be some sort of information passed along, hmm?"

"I forget you were newly appointed, Mr. Delpho. If you would allow me to explain…" The arena manager narrowed his eyes, but took his seat, and Balestra rose to his feet, folding his hands behind him as he glanced around the room. "For those of you who either do not know or have forgotten, I campaigned for the creation of the Master Corps for nearly ten years. What I had envisioned at the start was far grander than what I have today, but the central purpose of my organization has remained a constant throughout everything. As a sub-branch of the Guild, the Master Corps not only addresses assignments deemed too difficult for the average hunter to handle, but exists as an expeditionary force as well. My hunters are often tasked with not only killing dangerous beasts, but also recovering artifacts and ancient texts from ruins around the country that the Guild archeologists are unable to access, be it because of monster threats or minimal information.

"With those tasks come new information in regards to many different aspects. For instance, the discovery and confirmation of rare monster species. Perhaps you all recall the account of the Lucent Nargacuga, or perhaps the Abyssal Lagiacrus? The creatures previously viewed as nothing more than old legends or tales from story books. It was Corps hunters that felled these beasts and allowed our researchers to make great strides in understanding these rare subspecies. It was also Corps hunters that handled the Gear monsters that have begun merging from the hazard zone, and one of those hunts in particular helped aid in our relations with Jaagezuela.

"Several texts uncovered from ruins have also contributed to the creation of unique and varied equipment to arm not only our hunters, but the rest of the country's population of hunters with. I'm certain you all recall the report given on the Deviljho's defeat, yes? The man responsible for the beast's death was wielding an experimental weapon known as the Triblade, developed by one of Mr. Joshua's researchers using information gleaned from ancient sources. He intended on the weapon being released to the general public with the Guild's consent once testing had been concluded. His is not the only weapon developed under the Corps, though; many of these armaments are created by the hands of Corps researchers, and are tested by Corps hunters to ensure perfection.

"Of course, there were also many documents related to ancient technology and building methods which have been going directly to the city's buildings and waterways, as well as vehicles and transports. The renovations in the south-eastern district, for instance. Where do you think these new methods of construction, both quicker in assembly and more durable in integrity, came from? They are modernizations of older, forgotten methods, all of which have been found by the Corps. The expansion of the city's waterways can also be traced back to my organization. On top of that, airship fuel has been improved, sandships are now sturdier than ever, even simple carriages have been made more efficient for both draft animals and drivers.

"Aside from those documents, my hunters have also recovered many artifacts of great value from their work. Artifacts that give us insight into the early history of our world, our country, our civilization. Details regarding the towers that dot the land. Even information regarding the dark history of Port Tanzia has been uncovered by the hands of the Master Corps. Of note, the Master Corps has been responsible for acquiring six of the eleven magma rubies that the Guild has sought after for a number of years. The first five were merely found by chance, and over the course of many years. It took my organization only one to surpass that.

"So, as you must be able to see now that the Corps has been doing much more for Loc Lac than you first realized, Mr. Delpho," Balestra said. "Do not childishly throw accusations at me simply because you lack knowledge about my organization's purpose. Your inexperience in this environment only becomes more apparent by doing so."

The Corps Head took his seat then, leaving Delpho visibly infuriated by Balestra's stoically-delivered humiliation of him. After a few moments though, Head Councilor Pluvine spoke up.

"Sir Balestra, while the history and purpose of your organization was indeed insightful, Mr. Delpho does still have a point you did not address."

"And that is?"

"The fact that your hunters are paid extremely high salaries. You said it was to entice them to take on their work, yes?"

"A good portion of the Corps' hunters simply seek the thrill of it, but a number of them also stated that they were only in it for the money."

"I see. In light of the crisis in the northeastern district, I must suggest that you consider a few… sacrifices for the sake of the city."

This time it was Balestra's eyes that narrowed.

"Exactly what sort of sacrifices did you have in mind, Ms. Pluvine?"

"Based on the reports delivered to myself and Guildmaster Calistro, your hunters are certainly the best of the best. However, even among them certain individuals stand out. The boy who slew the Deviljho… that was Sir York's son, Wesley Adler. I've been told that he's something of an icon for your organization. Is that true?"

"Mr. Wes' accomplishments are indeed exemplary. He was a part of the groups responsible for the recovery of three magma rubies, as well as the discovery of the Lucent Nargacuga. I would hardly refer to him as a standard, however."

"In light of that explanation, would you say that those accomplishments would be possible with every other member of your organization?"

"No. Certain hunters possess greater skills than others, which remains true even outside of the Corps. Hunter rankings exist for that purpose."

"I see. And are there members of the Master Corps that perform subpar compared to the likes of other individuals, such as Wesley Adler?"

"In a group as varied as the Master Corps, undoubtedly. However, as I previously stated in regards to-"

"What do you say to letting go of some of the hunters underneath your employ, Sir Balestra?"

The Corps Head blinked as the words left the woman's lips.

"That is out of the question, Ms. Pluvine. I specifically scouted eighty of the best hunters in Venatoria and beyond for the sake of assembling teams well suited to their assigned tasks for the purpose of flexibility."

"Based on yer reports, that ain't entirely true," Calistro piqued in. "Let's see here… On the topic of the Adler kid, he's repeatedly shown his best within a fairly small spread of hunters. Three names pop up the most, and those are Frost, Snow, an' Viper. Usually, at least one of those individuals is on his team. Same holds true fer most of the other hunters ya got."

"If Mr. Wes performs at his best with one or all of those team members, perhaps it would be a simple matter to just group them all together for each task that falls to them instead?" Pluvine said. "I'm certain you could do the same for most of your hunters, and those whom a place cannot be found for can simply return to regular Guild hunts. After all, there is another set of hunters beneath your employ that seem to already fit that idea perfectly. The so-called Gem Sisters, I believe?"

"The Gems are a special case, given each of their histories. But-"

"Balestra, if you can make a case for one team, you can make a case for ten," Huldrum remarked. "I have heard you say time and time again that results are what matter most. In this case, that holds very true. Create teams that can give the best results, and remove the unnecessary filler that will hold them back. Your Master Corps will _really _shine then, no?"

The Corps Head felt his eye twitch slightly at the councilor's sarcastic tone, yet as he glanced around the room he could see most of the other members nodding their heads in agreement to the man's proposal.

"Sir Balestra, do understand that this isn't an effort to destroy the Master Corps," Sectwen said. "It was quite clear through your… very in depth explanation before that the Corps is a very important aspect of both the Guild and Loc Lac as a whole. However, we cannot deny the fact that your organization does have a considerable amount of zenny that could go a long way in helping the north-eastern district recover from its crisis."

"She's absolutely right, Balestra," Huldrum said. "Perhaps Wayne spoke out of line, but we do not wish to see the Corps destroyed. We've all gone through a little too much regarding its creation, after all. If you were able to make a few sacrifices now for the good of the city, I'm certain the council will be able to find a way to improve the Corps in the future out of gratitude."

"What say you, Sir Balestra?" Pluvine asked. The Corps Head glanced down at his hands resting on the table for a few moments, the other members of the council disappearing from view as his hat dipped down. After several seconds, he looked back up.

"I will see about fulfilling your requests. As of now, I can gurantee at least one million zenny can be delivered to the north-eastern district. I will need time to run the rest of the numbers. As for the effort itself… I will see about transferring some of my hunters and researchers- those skilled in architecture, at the very least- to aid in reconstruction."

"That is very generous of you, Sir Balestra," Pluvine said. "You certainly do live up to your reputation as a respected civil worker. However, I do believe this meeting has run on for quite some time, so I believe a break is in order. Sir York should be about done with his interrogation by the time we meet again. You are all dismissed for now."

* * *

"Ma, I'm fine, really! Let me just- ack!"

_THUMP!_

"Why must you be such a stubborn kid…" Rose sighed as she knelt down and picked the young hunter up off the floor and helped him back into his bed. "Connor said that you shouldn't move at all for the next day or two. Archdemon mode takes a lot out of you, but you had to go and use it twice in one day!"

"It was an emergency!"

"And I understand that! But you need to understand that you aren't going to be able to walk until the side effects wear off!"

"But Ma-"

"No buts, Wes. Even if Connor hadn't said anything, I'd still keep you here until you could actually go to the bathroom on your own. Just face it: you need rest before anything else."

The dual blade wielder let out a short sigh in defeat. That was about all he could do, actually; he couldn't even feel his limbs at the moment. The only thing that kept him upright for a few minutes after the Deviljho was slain was adrenaline. After that passed, he couldn't even turn his head without feeling like he was moving a mountain. He did learn then that Frost was quite good at giving piggyback rides though; the long sword user had been the one to carry him back to HQ.

He didn't really blame his mother for being so insistent on him staying bedridden. Even if he could move, she'd probably be acting the same way. She always did when he came back from hunts before joining the Corps, so why wouldn't she now? He just hated not being able to do anything more than lightly shift parts of his body. On top of that, trying to act naturally on such short notice was rather difficult, and he was just trying to figure out a way to get her out of his room for a few minutes.

"Listen, how about I go make you something to eat?" Rose said, standing up from her chair and putting her hands on her hips. "Sally told me that there's a pretty nice kitchen on the first floor that hasn't seen much use since the last hunter who used it almost lit the building on fire, but I'll bet I can whip you up something really nice! A home cooked meal sounds pretty good, doesn't it?"

"I… Er, actually, yes, please. Thank you, Ma."

"That's more like it! I'll be back up here in a flash. Don't even try to leave that bed on your own."

"I'd prefer not to have another helping of carpet anyways," he smirked. His mother rolled her eyes and chuckled before leaving the hunter's room. He waited until he heard the door shut fully and Rose's footsteps disappeared before shifting his eyes over to his closet. "All clear, you can come out now."

The sliding door opened a moment later, and Snow poked her head out from within, glancing around the room and blinking a few times before stepping out fully.

"Why'd you tell me to hide like that, Wes?" she asked, taking a seat on the chair and raising an eyebrow at him. "You looked like you saw a ghost when your mother knocked…"

"Let's just say she's… wary about me and women," he replied quickly. The huntress had entered his room only a minute or two before his mother came by, and he really didn't want to deal with the hassle that the two of them meeting was sure to bring. There were enough rumors about him and Snow already. "So… yeah. Sorry about that."

"Eh, it wasn't that bad, actually. Your closet is a lot cleaner than Viper's is, at least!"

"That's understandab- wait. How do you know what Viper's closet looks like?"

"Remember how I told you about my plan to surprise him with that gourmet voucher on his birthday? Well, that was where I hid. For two hours."

"…Yikes. Actually, I don't remember hearing about that… What happened when he finally came in?"

"He had two women with him, and they all jumped on the bed and ripped each other's clothes off. It was pretty fun to watch; some of it actually looked pretty interesting! Did you know that-"

"Oh, _gods! _Snow, please, for my sake… Just… keep that to yourself, alright? I do not need to hear anything about Viper's sex life."

"Suit yourself," she shrugged. How she was able to talk so openly about that stuff was well beyond him. "So, how are you feeling? You didn't get a chance to say before she came by."

"Well, I don't exactly hurt," he sighed. "But I can't really feel much of anything right now. Or, y'know, move. Aside from that? Wonderful. How's your arm?"

"Oh, this?" The huntress held up her right arm, showing a thick layer of fresh bandages wrapped around her forearm where the Deviljho's fang had impaled her. "It's not that bad, really. Just bled a lot, kinda stings. Definitely not the worst injury I've ever had."

"Most people would say being bitten by a Deviljho is the top of their injury list, Snow. You're lucky you even have an arm."

"Well, I'm not like most people, Wes," she replied, coyly sticking her tongue out at him. "Hybrids have a huge pain tolerance. You know that."

"Doesn't mean a fang through the arm isn't a bad wound." Still, she did have a point. Frost and Snow were both able to take hits that would leave most other people down for the count or worse, and then get back up to keep fighting like it was nothing. Hades had been much the same, looking back. "Viper's doing fine though?"

"He said he had a few burns, but he was more concerned with losing most of his arrows and his helmet, so he's fine. I can't say the same for the rest of the people on that road though…"

"How many…?"

"I ran into Trance when I went back out there earlier. He said it was upwards of a few hundred wounded, several dozen dead, and that those were just what they had counted up till then. No one knows, really."

"Great…" he replied dryly, looking up at the ceiling. He wished that they could have stopped that Deviljho sooner… no one else would have died if it had just stayed down the first time.

"I know what you're thinking, Wes, and we did everything we could to stop that thing," Snow said. "I mean, if we hadn't, would you be in the condition you are now?"

"No, I wouldn't, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't have killed it sooner…"

"We did. Twice. It probably would have gotten up again if you hadn't sliced its head off…"

The huntress' voice trailed off, and she glanced off to the side as though she had just thought of something.

"Wes, do you remember what you felt right before that blue light surrounded you?"

"Uh, not really… Just that it was some kind of power, I guess? Like a surge of energy I didn't really have before."

"Thought so. Viper said the same thing when I asked him about his abilities too. I don't know how you both did it, but somehow you managed to unlock magical abilities of your own."

"Er… Come again?"

"I couldn't really say anything at the time, but I could feel both of you giving off a lot of energy, very similar in nature to the kind Frost gives off when he uses his abilities. All of those yellow flashes around Viper when he starts slinging arrows like a machine bowgun? That's his power. You slicing clean through a Deviljho's skull in the blink of an eye? That's yours."

"But isn't your power ice manipulation? That seems less… I dunno, offensive than mine? You can do more with it beyond cutting stuff, at least. How are you sure mine is magic? Maybe it was just Archdemon mode-"

"That power is MUCH different," she interjected, waving her hand in the air before her and shaking her head. "Demon and Archdemon mode… Both of those have a really… _heavy_ energy. To those that can sense it, it's… Well, I'd prefer not to say, but it certainly isn't anything flattering. I can tell the difference though. As far as I can imagine, the reason you guys have different abilities than Frost and I is because we're Hybrids. This is something we're just naturally gifted in. Being humans, both of you had to unlock your abilities."

"And how exactly did I do that? I don't recall going through any fancy trials or getting any power-ups like in my books," he replied.

"I'm not entirely sure, to be honest… I wasn't even sure humans _could _use magic before. Maybe it's related to the appearances of Hybrids- both of you have had a lot of interactions with us, after all, and you both fought Hades."

"Viper could use his power before fighting Hades turned Hybrid on us, though."

"Well, that's why I said maybe. I don't know the answer to this, Wes, I can only try to guess."

"I appreciate that, but it really just raises more questions… Like how can I do it again? And is it… dangerous? I, uh, read something before about a life draining power…"

"I don't think you have to worry about something like that. Frost and I have used magic since we were younger, and it never had an effect on us."

"But you said it before that humans and Hybrids are different. What's to say you aren't just immune to that effect or something?"

"I can't really say that isn't true, but I think you're overthinking this a little bit, Wes. Why do you think it would 'drain your life' anyways? That's oddly specific…"

"Just… something I read about a little while ago. If you think it's safe, I'll trust you. But why couldn't I use this power sooner? I could've saved that kid's parents if I had just done that the first time… And everyone else who was hurt or killed would've been fine!"

"So that's what's upsetting you," Snow sighed, biting her lip before responding. "If anything, it's on me… I should've gotten them first, then Viper. They were closer to me. You shouldn't keep blaming yours-"

"It wasn't anybody's fault except for the bastard that controlled the thing," Wes spat, causing the huntress' eyes to widen in surprise at the edge to his voice. "If anyone deserves to die, it's the lunatic who thought letting a Deviljho out into the city for shits and giggles was a good idea! If I'd known what he was planning, I'd have killed him myself."

"That… Doesn't really sound much like you, Wes."

"Maybe not, but that doesn't mean it's not true. Those people didn't deserve to die! That guy just said that there were 'good results'. The hell does that even mean?! His 'good results' left a kid without his parents, hundreds of people without homes, and countless others hurt or dead. So yes, if I could go back in time and stop him, I wouldn't hesitate to kill him."

Snow was quiet for a few moments after, and when she spoke up again, her voice was low.

"And if it had been me and Frost in Calvata? Would you say the same thing then?"

This time, Wes was the one with a surprised expression, and for a few moments he couldn't even respond.

"N-no! Snow, that's not what I meant at all! That's completely different!"

"Do you really think that? Because you just said something that I never thought I'd hear out of you. You just said you'd personally execute someone for a crime… and you don't even know the actual motive behind it!"

"Are you justifying his actions?! You had a reason for what you did, and it was a complete accident. You regretted it! You said you'd go back and stop yourself if you could! That man? He had _zero _regrets. My own father brought him in, and the guy was smiling like he'd just scored the jackpot when he saw what that thing did to the city! We all saw him!"

"But that doesn't mean that there _isn't _a reason!" she argued, raising her voice. "Maybe he doesn't regret it. Maybe he does deserve punishment for what he did! But I thought you of all people would at least try to think about _why_ he would have done something like that in the _FIRST PLACE!_"

Wes was about to speak up again before he felt something light and cool land on his nose, distracting him from their debate. A second later, there was another sensation on his face, and a third on his hand. Glancing up, the dual blade wielder let out a short gasp at the sight of a number of snowflakes falling from his ceiling, and an almost-invisible veil of white mist hung in the air. The room had cooled down quite a lot too… He could even see his own breath.

Snow seemed to take notice as well, and the Hybrid closed her eyes and began taking several deep breaths to try and calm herself down. A few moments later, the flakes stopped falling, and the room began to warm up again.

"I-I…"

"Don't… It's my fault for overreacting," she sighed, opening her eyes and looking off to the side. He could tell she was just about as shaken as he was. "I know you didn't mean anything towards me or Frost, it's just… This is all so familiar. I want to know why this all happened. Why _everything _is happening. I want the truth. Don't you?"

"Of course I do. I'm just… not in much of a position to find anything out at the moment, Snow."

"When you've recovered… Would you mind trying to help me get into the Loc Lac Tower so I could ask him some questions?"

"I, ah, what? You… The Tower? As in… break into the largest and most heavily-guarded building in Loc Lac? Uhm… Not quite sure I'm very keen on that idea."

"I get that it seems extreme, but-"

"Snow, please, just listen to me. Breaking into the Tower is _not _going to work. Unless we decided to start killing all the Guild officers inside, there's no way we'd get very far without being seen. And do you want to blow your cover like that?"

"I… yes, you're right," she sighed after a moment of thought, giving him a light smile. "I was getting a little too ahead of myself, huh?"

"Kind of… listen, my Pa was probably the one questioning the guy. I'm sure he's got plenty of answers out of him. Maybe he can tell you what you want to know?"

"I don't know, wouldn't the Guild want him to keep quiet about that sort of thing?"

"I wouldn't doubt it, but then again, he doesn't keep many secrets from me. Next time I see him, I'll ask for you. Deal?"

"I guess that's as good as I'll get… Yeah, that'd be great, Wes." The huntress' ear twitched slightly and she looked towards the door. "I think your mom is coming back… Maybe three floors down. I should get going; don't want to trap myself in your closet for another twenty minutes, after all! I'll see you around."

"Yeah, see you."

Wes felt a pang of discomfort as the huntress left his room. The Deviljho attack had put them all on edge, but something was definitely off with her. And those snowflakes… None of it boded well. Not to mention her remarks about him being able to use magic now. He could hardly wrap his head around that one. But what she had said earlier about him also left him feeling a little uneasy.

_Something she never thought she'd hear out of me… Gods, she's right. I've never said anything like that before! But… why did it come so naturally to me…?_

_That… might be my fault._

_Silver? Is that you?_

_No, it's the muffin man. Who do you think it is?_

_Well, that answers that. Where have you been?! I haven't heard you since yesterday!_

_Aww, did you miss me that much, buddy ol' pal? I really outta return your calls sometime. Meet up for a coffee date on the weekend or something._

_Gods, can you cut the snark for one conversation?_

_Alright, alright… Yesterday just took a lot out of me, okay? I've been trying to recover, so I might've been slipping up in a few places. It really sucks being a figment of imagination in some nineteen year old guy's overactive brain._

_I didn't ask for you to move in._

_And I didn't have a choice. Happy accidents and all that. Look, what I did yesterday- suppressing your fear, that is- that's not something I want to do again. The situation called for it, but holding back your emotions like that is not good for you or for me. I already have to hold some of your own feelings about people's deaths in check, and pulling that shit on top of that was taxing. _

_Wait, what do you-_

_What I mean is the reason you don't get sick or lightheaded or anything when you see a dead body or think about anyone you might've killed is because of me. I'm keeping those in check so that you don't flip out like you did back in the Flooded Forest._

_Why though?_

_Because I can't risk you having a nervous breakdown again. Things get dicey in here when your emotions get out of whack. Plus there's… nevermind. It's just for the best._

Before he could press the issue further, Wes heard a trio of knocks on his door a few moments later, and his mother stepped in with a small tray stacked high with food.

"I'm back! Apparently the ovens were still being repaired after some kind of explosion, so I just-" Rose stopped midsentence and raised an eyebrow, glancing around the room as if something was bothering her. "Strange… It feels really cool in here."

"It's, uh, it's always been like that, Ma," Wes replied quickly, noting that the ceiling still had some very noticeable ice crystals stuck to it. "You… didn't notice earlier?"

"I guess not… Then again, can you blame me? I've been worried half to death about you and your father alike. At least it's more refreshing than that desert heat."

"Yeah, speaking of Pa, did he say when he would be coming back?"

"Nope. You know how those Guild meetings can be. We'll be lucky if he's not busy for the rest of the day too," she said, walking over to his nightstand and setting the tray down. "Don't worry though, we won't be heading back to Moga for a while yet. He's got plenty of work to do around here first, and I've got enough on my hands with making sure you're recovering properly!"

"Not that I don't appreciate it Ma, but there are doctors here for that sort of-"

"Ah ah, you aren't getting rid of me that easily. I haven't seen you in months, Wes! While I do wish the circumstances could be better, I'll take whatever chances to act like a mother I can get. And that means I'll be the one taking care of you, not one of your seven color-coded girlfriends."

"_MA!"_

* * *

"First an interrogation, then a meeting, now guard duty. What an exciting day."

"Oh please, my old friend, it could be much worse! Imagine having to help clean up the Deviljho's body instead. At least this isn't messy work."

"Doesn't mean I haven't been bored death half a dozen times today. Gods, I hate politics…"

It was much later in the day since York had left the Loc Lac Tower. While the meeting itself had ended in the midafternoon, Calistro and Pluvine had kept him around for additional questions and meetings, 'just in case'. That had kept him busy until the early evening, and then Joshua asked him to help out with transporting the magma rubies to the Tower as he was headed out the door.

"I would hire guards or accept the men Sir Balestra offered," the researcher had said, "but after Kedrick's betrayal, I find it difficult to trust anyone in a uniform. Surely you can understand?"

While he most certainly could understand it, he didn't like it. He hadn't even seen Wes since the day before, so he had no idea how well his son was holding up. He trusted Rose would be able to take care of him, but he also knew she would probably stifle Wes if left alone too long. At the very least, he wanted to spend some time with them while they had some time to do so.

But of course, the first chance they got, something had to go wrong. He wasn't quite sure why it really surprised him. Maybe it had been the twenty years without ancient evil plots trying to destroy the world, but he thought that these sorts of things wouldn't faze him as much. Trouble always seemed to find him in some form or another. And man, was that Deviljho trouble.

He'd seen its corpse twice now: once briefly when he had tackled Kedric, and a second time while accompanying two of Balestra's officers to the site of the attack. That sight had been a real nightmare. Apart from most of the beast's skull being exposed, it had been severed into fourths with some of the cleanest cuts he'd ever seen. He'd seen illustrations of a Jho's skull before in one of those monster ecology books Wes seemed to love, but they hardly did the real thing any justice. The brute's originally-dull green hide had been charred into a dark grey color in a manner that reminded him of the aftermath of a forest fire. Hundreds of cuts lined the beast's body, though many were nigh-indistinguishable from its scars, and from what he had seen of the muscles and such within the beast's tail, the monster's innards had suffered a lot of damage too. There was quite literally no part of its body that could be salvaged for good use. There shouldn't have been any way for a Deviljho to reach that kind of power without burning to death first.

_Such beauty and strength lay within that creature's body, such potential only able to be brought out by the ruby itself!_

Kedrick's words bounced around in his head as he watched Joshua fiddling with the combination to the safe hidden along the Science Department's back wall, behind the massive Sharq lance Joshua had adored so much. Kedric has seemed almost completely insane, and while it was no wonder that Joshua of all people would have hired him, there just didn't seem to be any possible way he could have been the ringleader behind the Deviljho's escape. He didn't even put up a fight when York chased him, yet he claimed to have subdued four armed guards all on his own? And his story… It just seemed so off.

What caused him the most discomfort, though, were the robes that he and his accomplice had worn. There was no mistaking that they were the Brilliant Darkness' old uniform. After he and the others had returned from the cult's hideout, a small group of its remnants tried to escape. A bunch of the old members were recaptured or killed, but some of them managed to hijack a sandship and evade the pursuing fleet. There were only two surviving leaders at the time- Adel and Cutler. Were they behind this? Could they have been trying to revive the cult?

No… they knew that the Alatreon's soul gem had been destroyed. There was no possible way for the dragon to return!

…Right?

Now that he thought about it, he really didn't know whether destroying the soul gem permanently put the thing down or not. After all, it _had _been slain in the past by other members of the Oath Keepers. His visions into his father's memories had affirmed that much. Surely he wasn't the first one to think to destroy the gem? Could it have had multiple containers? Or was there some kind of secret weapon the Darkness still had?

Yet, Kedrick had said this new Darkness didn't have anything to do with the old… Could he have been trying to throw York off, perhaps? Or was he telling the truth, and did Cutler and Adel really have nothing to do with this incident?

No matter how he looked at it, York couldn't help but feel his worry grow. The last thing he wanted was for the Brilliant Darkness to come back. They'd ruined enough of his life already. But he had no leads to follow up on! Adel and Cutler had pretty much vanished twenty years ago, and he certainly hadn't heard anything about them since. There hadn't been any related incidents either: no mind control or ritualistic murders had taken place as far as he was informed, which was pretty far considering his stance with the Guild. He needed more information, but where was he going to find it?

"My, York, that's quite the look you have."

The hunter blinked and glanced up from the floor, seeing Joshua looking back at him. The safe was now open, and the researcher was holding a sizeable brown briefcase with a few silver latches holding it shut.

"Just got a lot on my mind, Josh," he replied, shaking his head. "We got what we need?"

"Absolutely! Though I think it would be best if I checked to make sure they're all accounted for… Might I have a moment?"

"Sure, let's just make it quick. I'd like to call it a day before the sun rises."

He watched as Joshua unlatched the briefcase and opened it before removing a black covering from atop the rubies. York's brow furrowed further as his eyes landed on the objects. Sure enough, they were all exactly the same as the one he had, pulsating with an orangish-red glow while also looking as though they were made from hardened magma. Looks like his suspicions had been right all along.

"Let's see here… One, two, six, nine, eleven! Yes, they are all here!" Joshua said, covering the glow of the gems once more before closing the briefcase and latching it shut. "Now, let us be off!"

The pair made their way outside of the Master Corps HQ building and towards the Guild carriage awaiting them. One of Balestra's officers- Corrin, was it?- was seated at the helm, and briefly waved a gloved hand at the pair as they approached and entered the carriage. For some reason, Joshua avoided the man's gaze, but soon enough they were on the road towards the Tower. The walls of the carriage were designed to be mostly soundproof, so they were able to talk freely without fear of anyone hearing them.

"Alright, about these rubies… Exactly what are they? Where did they come from?"

"We haven't been able to accurately discern _what _they are, aside from being some form of gemstone or crystal in composition, but we have traced them back as far as the first era, the same as the towers dotting our country, as well as the lighthouse at Port Tanzia. Whether or not they're connected is still a mystery, though there are records of one of the rubies glowing erratically when nearby Tanzia."

"Any clue how they have all these crazy powers? I'm sure you remember the Brilliant Darkness incident, right? Don't these things seem almost _too _similar to what the cult was doing?"

"That was a personal hunch of mine, yes. The discovery of their mind controlling capabilities was the biggest breakthrough I had in regards to that theory, hence why I wished to study it further. Alas, after digging through whatever I could find pertaining to the group, I surmised that the rubies were not linked to them in any way. The cult instead used some form of ancient magic in order to control their beasts, which was itself derived from the Alatreon's own power. So, similar, but not the same thing."

"Oh joy, another mystery. Alright, well, how do these things work then? If something like this ever happens again, I'd like to know how to avoid being mind-controlled if at all possible."

"A fair statement. I believe you would be safe from the effects of the magma rubies though. During some of our tests, we deduced that the rubies had a different level of effectiveness from beast to man. It was far, far easier to tame a monster with them than it was to make a man try to drink something he did not have a taste for. We also found that individuals with a certain level of mental strength could resist the gems without much trouble. I have known you for quite some time, and I can accurately guess that you wouldn't have any more difficulty than two-thirds of my associates."

"What if someone tried using multiple rubies on the same person though?"

"We tried that briefly, and while there was certainly some kind of bond formed between the rubies, it didn't affect their power in any way that we noticed."

"And can they do anything besides mind-control?"

"Apart from acting as rather pleasant reading lights? Not that we have seen, no. Some members of my department theorized that in some way the rubies contain information pertaining back to the first era, and that it may be possible to extract that information, but I have not tried to press that theory. My archeological teams have already uncovered much information themselves, so there hasn't really been a need… Though considering the circumstances, perhaps discovering why mind control is a function of the rubies at all would be worth a few more hours of research."

"I see… So what makes these rubies so valuable to the Guild in the first place? Why the sudden need to collect them all?"

"Before? It was simply a desire to learn the unknown. Now? Likely to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands."

York glanced out the window of the carriage, seeing that they were already on the bridge leading towards the Tower's main entrance. Good thing the streets were so empty at night. Corrin brought the carriage to a stop about five yards from the door, where Head Councilor Pluvine and several Guild officers were waiting. York and Joshua stepped outside of the carriage, and while the researcher proceeded to hand off the briefcase to the councilor, York checked on, around, and under the carriage to make sure no one had hitched a ride.

"Mister Adler, I appreciate all of your efforts in assisting the Guild today," Pluvine remarked as the man walked over to the group. "The other councilors and I have decided on a proper place to store the rubies, so you need not worry about their security. If there is anything else that we require you for- which would not surprise me, truthfully- we will call for you. Please, enjoy the rest of your evening."

"I intend to," he replied, shaking the woman's hand before heading back to the carriage. Joshua had entered the Tower along with the group, so he trusted that he wouldn't have a hard time making it back home.

The hunter climbed inside and told Corrin to take him back towards Hugh's place, tossing him a few zenny as a tip. He'd need to secure his magma ruby, that much was certain; he wasn't going to deliver it to the Guild though. He had a bad feeling about keeping twelve of those things in one place, considering they could apparently control people's minds and resurrect the dead. No, it'd be safer if he looked after one of them directly, and kept it a secret from everyone too. That way if something like this happened again, he might be able to put a stop to it.

What really commanded his thoughts was the possibility of the Brilliant Darkness returning, though. For starters, he'd have to find some leads, and that meant digging up some ancient history. Perhaps it was time for another look into that stone…

* * *

**Author Notes: Please review! Well, this one certainly came after a very long break... Sorry about how long it took to post, I've been dealing with a heavy dose of both writer's block and schoolwork. Well, okay, I've also been playing a little too much Fire Emblem Fates, but that is a rather time consuming game! For those of you who must know, I started with Birthright. Lobster army FTW.**

**And then there's the new hype train for Monster Hunter Generations! I can't even describe how excited I am for that to come out... Though I also really hope I can actually finish up this story before then. I don't think many people can have the privilege of saying that their stories took longer to write than it took for two different Monster Hunter games to be released in the West, and I'd prefer to avoid that title myself.**

**I'm also working on finalizing the last few chapters of a shorter story I've been working on, titled Driven! I'll likely release that in April, and while that's being released I'll pour my heart into writing a few more chapters of TMC. So here's to that, I suppose!**

**Also, I'm sure you're all aware of the fact that my cover image keeps changing every other post, but I got a new one once again, this time hand drawn by yours truly! I really enjoy doing character sketches, I've learned. If you want to see a few other pieces I've done, check out my deviantart account, Assassin-Hunter77. There you can see the four pictures that make up the new cover image in their full-sized glory!**

**Listening to: Celldweller, Fire Emblem Fates Soundtrack**

**Watching: Silver Spoon, Noragami Arigato, One Punch Man**

**Reading: The Lost Civilization: Shadows of the Past by dashboardgecko**


	29. Dreams at Dusk

**The Master Corps**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear belong to me, unless otherwise stated.**

**Edited by: dashboardgecko**

* * *

Chapter 29- Dreams at Dusk

"You foolish traitor, Basil! How could you have turned on us like this?! Have you no shame at all?!"

"Even you should have known the Keepers were doomed to fall, Virgil! I'm doing this for my own reasons, Oath Keepers be damned!"

The two men rushed each other, their white metal blades clashing against each other with a bright flash. The room they were in was littered with bodies cloaked in white or black robes, and the sounds of battle could be heard from the halls leading to the other sections of the structure. Virgil broke their lock and shoved Basil back with a foot to the gut, glaring at the black-haired man as he recovered.

"Your own reasons?! Your selfishness is the only reason you would have gone to our enemy! It's bad enough that you broke our oath and sired a bastard on top of that, but to turn your back on your friends and family as well?! THAT is unforgivable!"

"I never asked to be saved before, Virgil! I never asked to become an Oath Keeper! Perhaps the only thing I wanted was some semblance of freedom in my life, freedom to do what I may! Freedom to escape the binds of that damnable Oath! This is my choice, Virgil."

The blue-eyed man responded by rushing his opponent and clashed blades with him again, pulling back and swinging several more times. Basil was able to block of dodge each attack though, and throw out a few of his own on top of that, nearly stabbing his blade into Virgil's side. Virgil twisted to the side and caught the man's wrist, stopping him from moving his sword, and attempted to slit Basil's throat, but his opponent managed to stop the attempt by grabbing hold of Virgil's arm as well.

"Curse you, Basil! I hope that you and all of your kin are forced into servitude until the end of time! May you all be doomed to desire your freedoms and never achieve it!"

"Spout your curses all you want, Virgil! They won't save you when your head rolls!"

The two men pushed off of each other, breaking their holds on each other and sliding to a stop a couple yards away from their opponent. Virgil pulled the scabbard of his blade from the side of his belt and sheathed his pure blade within, turning to the side while keeping his gaze fixated on Basil.

"You've truly crossed the line... Come at me again, and we shall see whose head rolls."

This time it was Basil who rushed Virgil, letting out a loud yell as he brought his blade down towards the man's neck. Virgil retaliated with an upwards swing from his still-sheathed sword, smacking his opponent's blade aside with a _clang. _He pulled his arm back and struck the side of Basil's head with the scabbard and pulled his free hand to the handle of his sword, drawing it immediately and swinging it up at Basil's jaw. Though stunned by the first strike, Basil was able to recover swiftly enough to block the attack, and was forced back several feet by the force of the blow. Virgil twirled the blade once before returning it to its sheath and returning to an upright stance.

There was a flash of white from around Virgil, and the man rushed forwards and past where Basil stood in barely a second, turning about and dropping to a knee as he slowly sheathed the sword again, appearing to have never even fully left the scabbard to begin with. As it clicked into place, there was a sound of metal on metal, and the tearing of cloth and flesh, as well as a short cry of pain from Basil. The man clutched at his chest and turned around, revealing a long cut running across his torso with a slight break in the middle where his sword had been.

"Using Spirit Mode against me too, huh?" Basil spat, bringing his hand away from his chest and gripping his sword with both hands. "And here I thought you never used it against people, Virgil."

"That says a lot about you, Basil."

"My intentions are pure. Is there anything wrong with wanting to protect myself and my family in the only way I know I can?! I have a son too, Virgil, and forcing him to fight a secret war against the Darkness is the last thing I want for him!"

"Neither York nor Zeal should have to continue our fight, Basil. We fight to rid the world of the Alatreon once and for all. That beast will spare no one if allowed to be resurrected. We were close to preparing a way of quelling its power… We could have ended this. But you… if you truly cared for your son and wife, why did you abandon them to sire another child elsewhere? Why would you leave your wife to die? Why endanger Zeal's life by allowing the Darkness into our last haven?"

"I intended to escape with Zeal before this all began. I… I never left her to die either! I fought to protect her, and I failed! I will not fail Zeal too!"

"You already have, you fool…"

Virgil darted towards the man and lunged towards his gut with the pommel of his sword, which Basil blocked with the flat of his blade. The hooded man turned about and swiped the scabbard towards Basil's side, cracking it against the man's arm before twisting around in the opposite direction and drawing his blade. He swung twice, both times clashing against the side of Basil's sword. His opponent attempted to retaliate with a swing to Virgil's neck, but with a flash of white aura he dropped down low just before the blade connected. Virgil swung his blade horizontally, cutting cleanly through Basil's boots, as well as the tendons just below his shins.

With a pained yelp, the man dropped forwards, and Virgil turned about once more, flipping his pure blade around into a reverse grip and thrust it backwards, causing Basil to impale himself through the chest along the white blade's length. He let out a choked grunt as his sword noisily clattered to the floor.

"Ungh… Y-you always were the better fighter… Virgil…"

The man responded by pulling his blade free from Basil's chest and swiping it through the air to flick his blood off its length, twirling it about once before sliding it back into its sheath. As the blade clicked into place, Basil fell to Virgil's side, painfully gasping for air as a pool of blood began to form beneath him.

The sound of clapping came from the hall directly in front of Virgil then, and he reached for the hilt of his blade apprehensively. Basil struggled to prop himself up onto one arm to follow his gaze. The clapping grew louder and louder, up until a number of figures appeared in the shadows. All but one of them stopped within the hallway, while the center one stepped into the chamber itself. His heavy, black-scaled boots scraped against the floor, the tip of the massive blade slung across his back nearly touching the ground, while the darkness of the armor he wore seemed to almost drain the light from the room. His clapping slowed to a halt as he stopped before the Oath Keeper.

"You… Alteos…!"

"Ah, you must be the Virgil I kept hearing so much about. I see my old friend Felix shared my new name with you. The coward fled as soon as he caught sight of me… And here I hoped that I would be able to cross blades with my old hunting partner! I suppose you will have to do."

Virgil tensed himself in preparation as Alteos strode to the left, keeping the piercing white eyes of his helm fixed on the robed man. He came to a stop after a few steps and crossed his arms, letting out a long chuckle before speaking.

"But how could I forget? I have a few things to show you before we begin!"

No sooner had the words left his lips than a body was hurled into the room from the hallway, hitting the floor and sliding to a stop beside Virgil. He glanced down in shock as he recognized the figure.

"Master Drock!"

"The old fool was certainly resilient… It took almost three dozen men to finally put an end to his miserable life. His magic was certainly well developed, but it paled in comparison to the might of the Alatreon's."

"Dark-hearted bastard…"

"Before you start throwing names around, perhaps you might wish to see our other 'gift'?"

A moment later, another body was tossed into the room, this time coming to a stop right in front of him. Virgil knelt down quickly and turned the figure over, eyes widening in horror as his eyes fell upon the face of his beloved. Her skin was pale and lifeless, green eyes dark, blond hair stained in several places with blood.

"E-Elena… No…"

"She barely put up a fight, interestingly enough. She wasn't even carrying a sword! Perhaps she was looking for some secret weapon, hmm? Would you happen to know anything about that, Virgil?"

"_BASTARD!"_

Virgil bellowed ferociously as the aura of Spirit Mode formed around him once again, and he dashed towards the black-armored man at a blistering speed, his blade having already snapped from its sheath. He attempted to behead Alteos in one swift motion, but Alteos saw right through the attack and reacted even faster than Virgil had moved, ducking below the white edge of the Oath Keeper's sword before driving his palm into the man's stomach. Virgil let out a pained cough from the blow, but attempted to strike the leader of the Darkness once more, only for Alteos to catch his arm mid-swing with a vice-like grip.

"Bah, are you truly the best the Oath Keeper's have to offer? What a disappointment. And here I thought seeing your dead lover might make you fight a little harder!"

Alteos turned his head to the side and rammed his helmet into Virgil's forehead, staggering the man before he raised his foot up and drove his boot into Virgil's chest, sending the Oath Keeper skidding across the floor, his sword falling from his grasp and clattering across the floor. He came to a stop beside Elena's body, and as his eyes landed on her pale, lifeless expression, the aura of Spirit Mode seemed to shatter like glass. He was too stunned to even comprehend everything that was happening at that point. The one thing in this world he wished to protect above all else had been taken from him. He wished and prayed that this wasn't reality. The fact that deep down he knew it was real was what broke his spirit.

Alteos laughed maniacally at the sight, stomping over to where the man lay before driving his foot into Virgil's chest once again, crushing the man beneath the weight of his boot as he let out a pained shout. He reached for the hilt of the great sword across his back as a dark smoke began to billow around the grey and black weapon, the green letters etched into its surface fading into an ominous violet shade before the weapon changed dramatically, shifting into a dark scythe with black scales that matched Alteos' armor.

"Aren't you just filled with despair, Virgil?" he chuckled, slowly making his way towards the downed man. "This place has become the Oath Keeper's tomb. Everyone else has fallen to our blades now. You are the only one left! The darkness filling your heart now must be strong enough to feed the Alatreon for years!"

He came to a stop to Virgil's side and lowered the tip of the scythe towards his chest. Virgil barely even reacted, merely staring up blankly at the dark-armored man. Alteos raised his arm in preparation for the final strike…

But instead of swinging his arm down, the man tilted his head to the side and let out another chuckle.

"No… I have a better idea. Bring the brats in here!"

On his command, another two figures stepped into view from the hallway, each one holding onto a small infant. One had a head of brown hair, the other a head of black hair. Both were sleeping soundly, somehow having not been awoken by the sounds of war going on within the temple.

"You see that, Virgil? I know a lot more about you than you might think. The girl was your wife. That kid is your son. What was his name again? York? The son of the Oath Keeper's greatest warrior and the descendant of the princess of light. I think he'll make for a fine ally to the Brilliant Darkness in time… We shall corrupt your boy, Virgil. And, after all those years despairing over what you've lost? We will send him back to you. And he shall be the one to take your life. That is the fate I have in store for you."

"A-Alteos…" a voice croaked from across the room. The black-armored figure twisted his head to the side, seeing Basil lying there. "Why… why do they have Zeal…? I-I asked… You t-told me he would be spared… That he c-could go free…!"

"You should know better than to make a deal with a devil, you snake," Alteos sneered. "You certainly were useful, but did you really expect to survive this day? Did you truly believe my words when I said you could go free? Such a pitiful fool you are! Your child will make for an excellent servant of the Brilliant Darkness as well. Yes… That will do quite nicely…"

The man turned towards the hallway then, and the dark robed figures carried both children back into the shadows. Alteos made to walk after them, and as he turned away Virgil made an effort to push himself back up. He had to stop this from happening. Elena was gone… but he couldn't just let them take his son too. He had to do something.

Just as he was about to push himself up, though, Alteos quickly spun about and swung the scythe towards Virgil, impaling the tip of the weapon through his left arm. Virgil let out a bloodcurdling scream as the dark weapon pierced his flesh, feeling as though a part of his soul was being swallowed into the blade itself. It was almost unbearable, and in hardly a second Virgil was once more sprawled out on the floor, barely able to move even an inch. With a satisfied grunt, Alteos pulled the scythe free and strode away, plunging the weapon into Basil's spine as he neared the dying man. The weapon seemed to let off a brighter purple glow as the yellow-eyed man's life came to an end, and Alteos laughed evilly as he slung the scythe across his back and disappeared into the darkness. Virgil shakily raised his right hand after the man in a silent, pointless attempt to stop him, only to be met with a curtain of darkness closing over his vision.

* * *

"Virgil… Come on, Virgil, you gotta wake up!"

The man blinked his eyes in surprise at Felix's voice over him. The hunter was garbed in his Oath Keeper robes, but curiously his large pure blade was missing. Alongside him was the old wyverian Wyrdsen, one of the Keeper's oldest members and the guardian of this temple. Somehow they had managed to survive after all…

"'bout time you woke up, ya little whippersnapper," the small creature huffed, tapping his leg with his short walking stick. "At least someone survived that mess aside from me and th' big guy."

Virgil sat up quietly and looked off to the side, where one of the torches on the wall was beginning to die out. The others were still ablaze fiercely, but this one barely cast off any light, and was growing dimmer by the second, until it finally died off into nothing more than a smoking stick on the wall.

"Virgil? Come on, if you're able to move, let's get out of here," Felix said, grabbing hold of his shoulder. "This isn't the place to stick around… We can still find a way to stop them. We can-"

"No."

Felix blinked in surprise at the word, while the small wyverian merely let out a short sigh.

"Whaddya mean, no? Virgil, you've never backed down before! You've worked your ass off for the Oath Keepers. You can't just-"

"Felix, it's over. Can't you see that?" Virgil asked, turning towards the man and giving him a dull look. "Elena is dead. Master Drock is dead. Basil is dead. Everyone is gone… My son, kidnapped before my very eyes. Alteos was unstoppable… I didn't even stand a chance. What do I have left to fight for? What do I have left to protect? My spirit is broken, Felix… I can't continue this fight anymore…"

"That's bullshit and you know it!" Felix scoffed, grabbing Virgil's shoulders and shaking him violently. "Your son is still out there, Virgil! We can still get him back!"

"No… I cannot… I wish I could, but… I have failed, Felix. I'm done."

"Now listen here, you son of a-!"

_Thwack!_

"Ow! Wyrdsen, what the hell?!"

"Calm down, ya big oaf. The lad's been through enough now, and you ain't helpin' out by givin' him whiplash!"

"But we can't just let them get away with this! If left unopposed, nothing will be able to stop the Brilliant Darkness!"

"Well, we've still got you, don't we?" the wyverian pointed out, jabbing Felix in the side with his cane. "You get out there and keep tabs on the Darkness. See if you can find Virgil's kid. We'll keep in touch."

"How can I fight against the Darkness? My pure blade was lost in the attack…"

"Maybe use yer head like Drock's been tellin' ya all these years? There're more ways to fight back than swingin' swords around, ya big oaf. Maybe you're used t' that sorta thing, but now you gotta learn to do things differently. Desperate times an' all that. Now go on, git. I'll look after this whippersnapper an' see if I can't pull him outta this malarkey."

Felix let out a short sigh before pushing himself up and turning to leave. He stopped though, turning around again and reaching for his belt as he knelt down again.

"Virgil, I… look, it's my fault Elena was killed. She said she had to secure the diamond and told me to go. I should have stayed…"

Felix turned his head to the side for a few moments before bringing his arm around and holding his hand out towards Virgil. The man recognized Elena's dagger resting in his palm.

"She… she gave it to me. She wanted you to have it." He continued to hold his arm out for Virgil to take the dagger, but he remained motionless, again glancing off towards the burned out torch on the wall. "…C'mon, take it already!"

"I can't, Felix… I failed her far more than you did. I should have protected her, but I allowed my anger with Basil to get the better of me. I left her side… I don't deserve to keep her pure blade, let alone look at it… I'm giving it to you. Take care of it."

"Virgil, you…! Bah, don't you even care?!"

"Of course I do!" Virgil shouted, his voice echoing through the empty halls. "I cared about her more than anything in this world, Felix! But I failed her when she needed me the most! I don't deserve her memories… I don't deserve any of it. Keep it for my sake, Felix. Please…"

"…Alright. If that's how you feel, then I will. But I swear to whatever gods might exist, this dagger will find its way back to you eventually. Count on it."

With that, the man rose to his feet and turned to depart. Everything seemed to slow to a halt then, as it did at the end of all the other memories York had witnessed. The hunter slowly rose from the floor, glancing down at the pitiful shell that was his father. He had seen everything unfold through Virgil's eyes this time. He felt everything Virgil had felt. It was… indescribable. York had no thoughts, no comments to mull over before the memory faded away. All he did was gaze at his father's broken, hopeless expression.

* * *

York took in a deep breath as he pushed himself up from the desk he had been sitting in, glancing towards the window. It was still dark. He didn't know why he thought more time would have passed… That memory just seemed so much more draining to witness. With a short sigh he returned his father's blade to its sheath and set it down on the table before storing the now-dull magma ruby into his item chest. Now he understood why Virgil had seemed so different in the past than he had when York finally met him. The destruction of the Oath Keepers, York himself having been kidnapped right in front of him… And especially the death of Elena. His wife and York's mother…

She was the most important thing Virgil had in his life. After seeing things through his father's eyes, York truly understood how he viewed the world. Virgil always felt duty bound to the Oath and placed it above almost everything else. Basil's betrayal came about because of him breaking the Oath, and seeing his old friend turn his back on the Keepers drove him into a corner when the time came to make a decision. Pursue Basil and bring justice to the Oath, or stay and protect Elena, the love of his life?

His deciding on the former is what left Virgil in such a despondent state. He felt as though he had made the wrong choice, and that it was Elena who had to pay for his mistakes. Not only that, but confronting Basil was incredibly hard for him too. They had been old friends, and Virgil viewed Basil's death as his act, not Alteos'.

It got York thinking about Zeal as well. They had been friends in much the same way as Virgil and Basil had. Then, Zeal had been possessed by the Alatreon and York had been forced to kill him… Zeal had lost his freedom because York hadn't been able to rescue him back in Crez. It was almost like Virgil's curse had taken form then…

And that lead to York thinking about Wes and his friend, Viper. Sure, they had only met about a year ago, but they had become such fast friends… The physical similarities between Zeal and Viper did little to help matters. The first time he had met the young archer York thought he had been seeing a ghost. Virgil had said Basil fathered another child at some point… Zeal definitely didn't have a son, but perhaps his missing half-brother did? He wasn't much of a skeptic, but York hoped that his father's curse was nothing more than angry words, and that Zeal's possession was just a coincidence. Wes should never have to face something like that.

But, perhaps most important was Rose's well-being. He had rushed ahead to fight the Deviljho while she escaped into the streets. What if things hadn't worked out like they did? What if she had been killed like so many others had been, all because he didn't stay and protect her? He had the feeling he wouldn't have felt that much different from Virgil. Rose had said she would be staying a little later to take care of Wes, but after everything he had just seen, he wished she was there right now, if only so he could hold her.

Still, he felt like he had more direction now that he had seen that memory. If the Darkness was trying to rise again, there was a chance that Wyrdsen would know. Wyverians practically lived forever, and the little bastard was probably still holed up in the old Oath Keeper temple where York had first met his father. He'd been there for almost twenty years before then, and if his father's thoughts were any indication, he'd been there for at least twenty years before. He wouldn't put it past the wyverian to have stayed for another twenty, though that did raise the question of why he never seemed to leave the place.

Thinking back, York realized that the temple possibly had some of the information he was looking for. There were all those old texts stored there, after all. He'd read through a good number of them in the short time he'd stayed there, but there were bound to be way more than that. He never really had much of a desire to return there before, but… Yes, the temple would be a good place to try and find some leads.

The hunter strode over to the desk and picked his father's blade up once again, twirling the still-sheathed blade around his fingers with an amount of dexterity that surprised even him. If only for a few brief moments, he had witnessed the way his father truly fought… no, it was more than that. He'd actually wielded the blade then. He'd been inside his father's mind and body. There was even more to that style of fighting than his father had used, yet York felt as though he could understand it all. A style requiring concentration and focus, but above all, respect. York was unaccustomed to fighting honorably, yet there was a certain allure to those movements…

Tossing the blade into his left hand, York swiftly drew the blade and slashed it through the air three times, twirling it about expertly and dropping the tip of the sword into the scabbard, slowly sheathing the blade with a metallic chink_. _He felt like he lacked the same fluidity and grace Virgil had demonstrated, but that was something he felt could be fixed with some practice. He winced slightly at the sound of wood splitting a moment later, glancing over to the side and seeing he had accidentally sliced a clean line through the bedpost at the foot of the mattress.

"Hugh will probably think that's always been there…" he muttered dryly, staring intently at the battered scabbard of the pure blade. He could definitely use more practice.

He glanced down at his chest then, where the dagger Felix had given him was sheathed. York finally realized that it hadn't actually been Felix's dagger, but rather his mother's. Maybe that's why Felix had been so insistent on York taking it from him before he died. He wanted to keep that promise he made to Virgil all those years before. The hunter drew his father's blade as well as his mother's dagger, holding both out before him. They shined with a dull glow that seemed just a touch brighter than before, though that could have easily been his mind playing tricks on him. Still, a part of him hoped that a part of his parents' spirits remained with the blades.

"Father, Mother… Guess we've been together all this time, huh?"

He turned his head as he heard the doorknob jiggle and saw the door open slowly, and Rose peeked her head inside. Her eyes lit up when she saw him, though she raised an eyebrow when she saw him holding the two glowing blades.

"I didn't know you'd still be awake, York," she said, stepping into the room and quietly shutting the door behind her. "Or still wearing your armor, for that matter…"

"Joshua asked me to lend him a hand with something, so I didn't have much time to change. I just got back a little bit ago. How's our son doing?"

"Still resting. He can almost try to stand on his own again, at least. Thankfully he didn't make much of a fuss when I told him to put down the book I brought him and get some shut eye. He wanted to visit with you a little bit too, but I knew you were busy today…"

"I'll pay him a visit tomorrow. Getting sick of all this political nonsense anyways… Maybe some family bonding time will do us all some good."

"I'm sure Wes won't mind. So… what were you doing with the swords?"

"Oh, these? I was, ah, just checking the edges. Reminiscing, I guess… I don't know, Rose. Lots of things right now make me think we might be heading towards a repeat of twenty years ago, and that's the last thing I want to happen…"

"I pray the past stays right where it is, but if it tries to come back, you still have your family and friends to help out," she reassured, walking up to him as he returned the blades to their scabbards and set them down. "Now then, how about we get that armor off of you? I don't know about you, but after everything that's been happening lately, I'm in the mood for some us time."

"Don't have to tell me twice."

The hunter dropped the sword and dagger into his item chest and knocked the lid shut with a bump from his heel.

_Sorry Mom, sorry Dad. Don't think you want to see this part._

* * *

"You gonna hide there forever, or are you gonna let me see your face? C'mon, I don't bite!"

"I-I'm sorry, I just saw you in hunting armor a-and-!"

"Lemme guess, you were captivated by my stunning visage? Enraptured by my powerful presence?"

"Uhm… I-I just thought you looked kind of… young."

"O-oh. Right. Yeah, I guess it isn't common seeing sixteen year-olds being hunters, but I'll have you know that I'm more than capable of bagging a monster without a sweat! Ah, but what am I talking about, I can't invite you to watch! It's dangerous out there! C'mon, I'll take you back home."

"I-I can't…"

"Muh? Why not? Family troubles? Didn't take out the trash? …Oh. Your leg. That didn't happen recently, did it?"

"It's been like that for a long time… K-keeping up with you wasn't easy, but I was just c-curious about where you were going…"

"Well, now I'm definitely taking you back to the village! Poor girl like you shouldn't be out here all alone anyways, especially not with your leg in a condition like that. I'll carry you."

"N-n-no, that's not-! Eep!"

"Hup! And there we go! Say, you got a favorite color?"

"U-uhm… Why do you ask?"

"I usually always ask people that when I meet 'em. Tells you lots about them!"

"I… guess I always liked the color blue…"

"Blue, huh? Yeah, you seem like a blue to me. Hey, how about I call you Li'l Blue?!"

"W-what? You d-didn't even ask my name…"

"Ah, right. Forgot about that. What's your name?"

…

"Come again?"

"I-I want to be a huntress! Can you please show me how, Roy?"

"Jeez, Li'l Blue! I'm not even seventeen and you think I'm ready for a hunting apprentice? One who's… what, fourteen?"

"I-I just thought… Oh, who am I kidding, you're right… Sorry for bothering you, forget I-"

"I didn't say no! Hell, I think it's a huge compliment! I'd be glad to show you the ropes, Li'l Blue. Honestly, I think you have the makings of a really tough huntress in you. All I gotta do is draw it out!"

"Y-you mean it?"

"Of course! I may be many things, but I'm not a liar. Alright, first step: fixing up your leg. Definitely gonna need some conditioning for that… Maybe we'll work on that stutter while we're at it."

"W-what stutter?"

"That nervous one you always have. I think you just need a bit of a confidence boost, and getting your leg back into tip-top condition will be the first step! Pun intended. C'mon, we'll get right on it!"

"Right n-now?! A-are you sure? I thought-"

"Ah ah ah, I'm your hunting master now, so you gotta do what I say! And I say we're jumping into your training headfirst!"

…

"C'mon, try and keep up, Li'l Blue!"

"Quit running so fast! I'm short!"

"Don't mean you can't be quick too! You wanna be a hunter, you gotta use your legs a whole bunch!"

"You know it isn't that easy for me, Roy…"

"Oh, don't gimme that. Your leg is practically good as new now! Sorta… Plus, you've got spirit! You just gotta focus your efforts a little, and you'll start seeing results in no time! Count on it. Now c'mon, chop chop! We still got a couple miles to cover!"

"R-right! I'm right behind you!"

…

"And that, dear lady, is how it's done! So, what'd you think of the show?"

"You were awesome out there! Where did you learn to fight like that?!"

"Ah, I picked a few things up here and there. It's all about the execution though. Timing is everything! You just gotta jump at the opportunities when you see 'em, and then do what feels right. Your instincts will carry you far, Blue."

"If I can even make it that far…"

"Hey, what did I tell you before about that? You'll be able to overcome anything, slight leg problems included. I'll be around to make sure of that!"

"B-but what about your own career? You're just wasting your time helping me o-"

"Ah ah ah, I told you not to bring up the child prodigy bit while I'm helping you! So what if I got natural talent? So what if I love all the praise? I think it'd be more fun to share it all with someone else than just keep it to myself, y'know?"

"Well… Alright, you win. I do have a quick question… Can I have some of the materials from this hunt?"

"Haha, you betcha!"

…

"Hoo wee, you've been getting better, Blue! I'd say you're about as good at this as I am!"

"D-don't say stuff like that, you know it's not true…"

"Anyone who can handle a tough cookie like that at fifteen would be called a prodigy. Don't sell yourself short! I just stood by and watched, after all. This one was all you."

"It's only because of your help that I can even fight at all, Roy! I'm still giving you credit for that!"

"Nah, it's all you, Blue. All I did was give you a little push or two… And about three hundred gold in meals, but that's beside the point."

"I told you I'd pay for my own! You insisted on buying!"

"Hey, I said it was beside the point, didn't I? Buuuuuut… Since you led the hunt this time, I think I'll let you buy the round this time!"

"T-that's not what I meant, Roy!"

"Ah ah, too late! You wanna be a real hunter, you gotta act like a hunter! That includes buying food for your teacher-slash-boyfriend!"

"S-stop, don't say that out loud! It's embarrassing!"

"Hah, classic Blue! Guess we still got some work to do, huh?"

…

"Who was right?"

"Irm…"

"C'mon, tell me who was right!"

"…You…"

"What was that?"

"You were right! There, I said it!"

"Haha, nailed it! Won that bet fair and square. So, how's it feel to finally be a registered huntress, Blue?"

"Pretty good, I guess…"

"Uh oh, I know that face. Lemme guess, old man troubling you?"

"No, no, just… they weren't even there, Roy. I just wish they-"

"Blue, listen. They're complete idiots for not appreciating you. One day, you'll be a big, shining gemstone that everyone loves to see, and that's the day they'll regret being such dunces. Besides, you don't need 'em anymore! You are a huntress now! You can make your own path, and you don't have to let anybody stop you."

"Well…"

"And besides, that group reached out to you, didn't they? Expert huntresses want _you _for their team! That's a pretty big deal, isn't it?"

"I don't know… I'm not sure how much I like the idea of dying my hair blue just to fit in."

"Oh, relax! I think you'd look pretty damn cute with blue hair! It'd totally fit, too! I can see it now… How does 'cobalt head' sound to you?"

"I think I preferred Li'l Blue…"

"Ah ah, just Blue now. Sure, you're still short, but you grew out of the 'li'l' bit a long time ago. Plus… Big Blue sounds a little mean."

…

"Do you really have to go ahead with this, Roy?"

"They're old friends, Blue. I'd feel bad if I didn't lend a hand."

"But why can't I come along too? I can-"

"Look, the thing we're hunting… I just don't think it's something you're prepared to face yet. I don't want you getting hurt out there."

"My leg is fine though! I know I can help! Please!"

"Heh, you're making it seem like it's the end of the world here! This is just another hunt, Blue. I'll be back, don't you worry about a thing. Besides, I promised to take you out on a date, didn't I? This'll give me something to talk to you about!"

"Roy…"

"Hey, listen up. You don't got a thing to worry about. See my eyes? These are eyes that you'll see again. Not many guys got these colors, lemme tell you! Remember how much you loved looking at 'em? Well, I'd be more than happy to show them off to you for a lifetime. These are the eyes of a guy who doesn't know when to quit, and they're the eyes of someone who will always. Come. Back."

"Promise me you'll actually use my real name when you do?"

"Heh, you got it."

…

Except he didn't come back. The one time he broke a promise to her. She forgave him, but she could never forget what happened. She should have gone with him. She should have protected him like he protected her for all those years. Maybe then things would have been different. Maybe he'd still be around.

Still, those eyes… she saw them in another now. Those same eyes. A part of her thought he had been calling to her from those eyes. They were eyes she never wanted to see closed for good. She wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

* * *

Sapphire awoke slowly to the feeling of warm tears streaming down her cheeks. She sat up and wiped them away with the back of her arm and glanced over to her window, and the pale moon casting a white glow in her room from outside. The dreams always came after things like this, she had learned. There had been so much death, so much destruction… Just like the kind that had taken Roy away. It chilled her to the bone to think about. She slowly pushed herself out of bed, sliding her feet into a pair of slippers before making her way out into the hallway.

She quietly crept over towards Wes' door, testing the knob to see if it was open. It creaked lightly as the door swung open; his mother must not have locked it before leaving, as the lights were dark and she didn't see her inside. The only person she saw was him, snoozing underneath the covers.

From day one, he had always reminded her of Roy. The way he spoke, the way he carried himself, even his choice of weapons. But, perhaps above all were his eyes. Roy had those same eyes too. Fierce blue and kind green, he always called them. He'd left a hole in her heart that Wes just seemed to fit perfectly; they were so alike…

"I don't want to lose those eyes again…" she whispered. "Getting close to you is so hard, but I can't bear staying away… I'll do everything I can to guard you, Wes. I'll always try to be by your side…"

She turned her gaze away from him and shut her eyes for a few moments before leaving his room and heading towards the stairs, shutting his door as quietly as possible so as not to wake him.

* * *

"Told ya she has the hots for you."

"S-shut up! I know she likes me, but… Gods, I don't think I'll ever be able to say anything about it out loud with Ma breathing down my neck all the time."

"Figuratively! Seriously, you're nineteen. You can drink, you can vote, and you kill giant monsters for a living. You don't have to listen to Ma all the time, especially when you're pretty much living on your own now."

"Silver, it'll take a lot more than a pep talk from myself to get over Ma's rules."

"So basically you're saying you've been housetrained too well? Laaaaaaame."

"Alright, quit being an asshole. Why did you bring me here?"

Silver chuckled and turned towards the hunter. They were standing in the large, open green field of grass Wes had first encountered him in. Curiously, while there wasn't any wind here, there were a lot of clouds above them moving in the breeze. He wasn't quite sure why that stood out to him; it didn't really seem that important.

"Can't a guy get a chance to talk with his only friend face to face? I'm stuck in here frolicking in the pastures of Lala Land all day while you get to have all the fun out there in the real world, so pardon me for being interested."

"Like you don't get to see things from my perspective anyways… You are me, remember?"

"But I'm not _you. _Well, not entirely, at least. I don't get to experience the outside world like you do."

"This is just making my head hurt… Can we please cut to the chase here?" Wes asked, turning his gaze towards the sandy dunes off in the distance. He narrowed his eyes as a thought occurred to him. Last time he'd been here, he'd only seen a forest and a mountain. Now there was a desert too? But… he couldn't really _see _the desert, it was more like he just knew there was a desert there.

"Well, looks like you figured it out already!" Silver said, coming up beside him and wrapping an arm around Wes' shoulders. "It's kinda weird, right? Feels like there's a desert, but all you see is hazy mist. I think we may be getting closer to a trial, my friend."

"A trial? The hell are you talking about?"

"We went over this last time, remember? The forest and the mountains were open then, but you had no idea what was beyond those cloudy veils. And now you do."

"I suppose that is strange… What do you think it means?"

"That depends on what you think it means. Remember the whole 'I'm you' bit?"

"You said you weren't me a minute ago!"

"Not exactly."

"Gods, why do I have to deal with you… Alright, maybe the Deviljho was the reason for the desert being partially revealed? I mean, that was kind of jarring, and it happened in the desert…"

"I suppose that's a fair guess. Still, doesn't really explain why we can't see it yet though, now does it?"

"Well, no, but... wait. What's with that tone? Are you saying you _do _know?"

"Hah! I was pulling your leg a little Just look out for trouble in the future, alright?"

"What, that's it? You dragged me into here for two sentences?"

"Well… I guess there's a little more to this too," Silver said, his tone shifting slightly as he took a few steps away from the hunter. "I know you're wondering about our talk from the other day. About the emotion suppressing thing?"

"Er, yeah. I was going to ask-"

"Don't."

Wes blinked in surprise and raised an eyebrow at Silver as the black-robed entity remained facing away from him.

"What do you mean, 'don't'?"

"Wes, I gotta ask you something." Silver turned slightly so that Wes could see his blue eye. "Do you trust me?"

"This isn't a trick question, right?"

"Just answer."

"Alright, alright… Yes, I trust you. You might be a royal pain in the ass all the time, but you haven't done anything really bad. And, while I'm most likely insane for saying it, you're a good friend, Silver."

"If that's the case, then I need you to trust me now when I say this: don't ever ask me about the emotion suppressing again."

"Wha-? Why not?"

"Because, like I said before, this isn't something we can do again," the entity elaborated, turning his head away from Wes once again. "Or, rather, it's not something we _should _do again. It's dangerous for both you and for me."

"Then why are you still suppressing my feelings about taking lives?"

"That's-! …Wes, just trust me when I say that there is a reason for it."

"Feh, I should've guessed my own mental self would be as hardheaded as I am… Fine, I'll drop it for now. But one of these days I will get my answers out of you."

"Heh. We'll see about that. Anyways, that's about everything I wanted to say, so you can get out of here if you want," Silver yawned, stretching his arms above his head and cracking his neck as he turned back around, all seriousness leaving his voice about as quickly as it appeared. "It's pretty darn late out there, after all."

"What, you're trying to shoo me out this soon?" Wes asked. "C'mon, I was actually looking forward to that coffee date you mentioned."

"Yikes, that was dry even by my standards."

"What do you expect? At least I can move around in here. Out there I can't even feel my muscles."

"I suppose you do have a point. You're still pretty much incapacitated out there. Hell, if Sapphire were into that kind of thing, she could easily have snuck in and-"

"That's about enough out of you!" Wes interjected, shrugging Silver off as his cheeks flushed. "First Snow, now you. What is getting into everybody's heads lately?!"

"I've been in your head this whole time, so it wasn't me."

"But-! Yes, it was you! You're trying to do it to me!"

"But I am you!"

"_No you aren't! _You specifically said you were not me!"

"Well, I'm not you you. It's more like I'm me you. Does that make it any clearer?"

"What the hell do you think?! None of this is making any sense! Am I me, or are you me?"

"Yes."

"…Alright, you know what? I take it back. I'm leaving now. Try to not screw up my brain any more than you already have."

"No promises!"

* * *

"I can't believe I almost lost control _again," _Snow muttered to herself, glancing at the photo resting on her nightstand. "Why has it been getting so much harder lately…?"

She had been badly shaken after her conversation with Wes, and despite returning to her room immediately and shutting herself in for the rest of the day, Snow still hadn't been able to fully get over what had happened. Now, not only was she unnerved, but she was restless too. Frost wasn't next door to hear her out this time either, since he was back in the medical ward under Connor's orders.

She shifted her gaze from the photo and to the rest of her room. The only way she had found that she was able to vent before was to use her powers, resulting in much of the furniture and the walls of her room being covered in a layer of crystalline blue ice. The temperature had dropped substantially as well, but that was actually comfortable to her. The only space left untouched was that nearby her door, while the only thing she hadn't frozen was the photo of her and Frost as cubs.

Children. They were children, not cubs. She shook her head slightly and stood up from the edge of her bed. Why had she thought that? They had a father. A human father. They lived among humans. They had lived as humans. They _were _human.

"No, you aren't…"

The Hybrid stopped at the sound of the voice to her left, turning to see the source. All that she saw was the floor length mirror mounted on the back of the bathroom door, curiously untouched by all the ice around it. She saw herself standing there in the reflection, arms folded beneath her chest, staring back at herself with a primal, seductive look in her glowing red eyes.

"You aren't human, Snow. You've never been. Why keep lying to yourself?"

"I don't have to listen to a beast like you…"

"Oh, come now, don't be like that, darling," her reflection smirked with a coy wink. "I'm sure we could have lots of fun if you just let it all out for once…"

"No… I-I can't do that… People would get hurt…"

"Oh, fuck them anyways. What have people really done for you? They lie, they cheat, they kill… If they knew who you were… what you are, what makes you think they'd accept you?"

"They… Not all people are like that…! There's Wes-"

"You saw before, didn't you? He can be just as bad as they are, the naughty thing… We could easily pay him a visit tonight too, show him our… affections. Sounds fun, doesn't it, Snow?"

"Be quiet… That wasn't his fault! It… It had to have been that entity he told me about… Ever since the tower, he's been acting strange. He's not a bad person!"

"But how can you be so sure of that?" She saw her reflection tilt her head upwards slightly, shifting her red eyes towards the ceiling for a moment before looking back at her. "He uses that awful Demon Mode so very much, after all… Isn't it just stifling to be around him then? He's not nearly as clean as you make him out to be… Actually, I take it back. You and he are quite alike. Both monsters, caged inside, just waiting to be let out, just like that Deviljho."

"Shut up…"

"You enjoyed that, didn't you? I could feel it. You were having the time of your life fighting that thing. Every time it got up again, you were just thrilled by the sight. You love going a few rounds, don't you? That Deviljho certainly delivered… Your body doesn't lie, Snow, especially not to me…"

"But I know that you lie to me, beast," Snow retorted, seeing her reflections smirk turn to a frown a moment later. "You're always trying to get out… To convince me to let you out. All you want to do is spread terror and cause destruction, to abuse my powers for your amusement. Be happy that I'm willing to throw you a bone every now and then during hunts, because I'd be more than happy to get rid of you."

Her reflection's smirk returned.

"Your powers? I think you forget, darling… I _am _your power. Why not use me more, and have a real blast? Because you think you can actually live like a human? Heh… How very precious. You say you'd be more than happy to get rid of me, but the question is, _can you?"_

Snow drew her arm back and punched the mirror as hard as she could, shattering the glass surface into hundreds of tiny shards that clattered to the icy floor below, though a few had embedded themselves into the Hybrid's hand as well. A huge split had formed in the wood door behind the mirror, and the barrier creaked in its frame from the force of the blow, miraculously managing to not break apart. She slowly opened her eyes and removed her hand from the wall, glancing down at the shards of glass below. She could still see her reflection in all the tiny pieces of the mirror, but rather than the seductive, red eyes she had seen before, she saw her normally icy blue ones looking back at herself. She was breathing heavily, and she looked horrified, but a moment later she felt a wave of relief come over her. Slowly but surely, the ice in her room began to dissipate, and the temperature slowly began to rise to where it usually remained in her room.

"Maybe I can't yet, but I'll find a way," she muttered, picking a few shards of glass out of her hand. "I won't let the beast inside win. I may have been a monster before, but that doesn't mean I can't still be human now too."

"We'll see about that, darling…"

The voice let out a short, resounding laugh before disappearing entirely, and Snow shook her head clear before glancing at the floor, then her hand. Blood was dripping onto the shards of glass and the rug below, though her hand barely even caused her any discomfort.

"I need to clean this… Guess now's as good a time for a shower as any…" the huntress remarked, opening the damaged door to her bathroom and running the water before disrobing and stepping beneath the warm rush of water. Truthfully, after what had just happened, she felt like more than her hand needed to be cleaned.

* * *

A few light knocks on the door roused Ruby from her sleep, and she shook her head lightly as she sat up and pulled the sleep mask she wore up to her forehead. It was still dark outside… Who could it be at this hour? The only ones who ever came this late were officers with an emergency job, or… Sapphire.

She threw her legs over the bed and slid her feet into her slippers before making her way over to the door and opening it gently, seeing the blue-haired huntress standing on the other side. She quietly ushered her in, noting her troubled expression and the tear lines on her face.

"Sorry for bugging you so late again, Ruby…"

"It's no problem, Saph. You know I always have time for my sisters," she replied, patting her shoulder lightly and seating her in one of the chairs around her table. "Do you want me to get some tea for you? I've still got the hot drink mix you like."

"Yeah…"

Ruby hurriedly prepared the drinks before returning to her friend and setting a pair of cups down for them. She watched as Saph took a slow sip from hers, keeping her eyes down the entire time.

"It's still good, right?"

"Yeah, it tastes great. Thanks, Rube…"

"No need to thank me, Saph. I know it helps you out when you… have the dreams."

"It does… I just don't know what to do right now. I miss him, Ruby… I miss him so much. And I know you hate it, but…. I see him when I look at Wes…"

Ruby felt a slight twinge of irritation at the hunter's name, but she still smiled gently and kept her voice even for Sapphire's sake.

"I… never knew Roy, so I don't really understand how you see him in Wes, but I know it's really hard on you. I still remember the first day we finally met… You were kind of a wreck then, huh?"

"That had only been a few days after… he…" Sapphire turned her gaze towards her half-empty tea cup, tears forming in her eyes anew.

"Shhh, shush now, it's alright," Ruby said, placing her hand on top of Sapphire's reassuringly. "I know you were upset, and I wasn't sure how well it would go having you join the team at the time, but I'm really glad I decided to take you in. You're more than just a great huntress, Saph. You're a great friend, almost like the sister I never had. And… even if we don't have our families anymore, us Gems still have each other, right? We've been through a lot together, after all."

"Yeah… I just… I just hate losing people, Ruby. I don't want to lose anyone else, but after that… I keep fearing I might lose someone else. Then the Deviljho broke free, and… so many people died, Ruby… So many people were lost… And I couldn't even catch one of the guys responsible for it… It just makes me feel so useless…"

"Hmm… I wish I had been in the city to help with that, Saph. Honestly, I'd have been devastated if I had lost you… But let me make one thing clear. You are not useless. You're one of the bravest, kindest, and toughest huntresses I've ever known, and I've always felt that way since day one. Sometimes things get away from us, sure, but that doesn't make us useless. It gives us a reason to become even stronger. And when you can't handle it? Me, and Emmy, and Ammy will be right there to help keep you up."

"Do… do you promise?" the huntress asked meekly, again glancing back down into her half-empty tea cup. She always asked for promises, for one reason or another. It probably had to do with Roy… But she never gave Ruby much info about him, so she could only try to assume. Still, she smiled and held her hand up, curling all of her fingers save for one.

"Pinky promise."

Sapphire smiled lightly and returned the gesture as the familiar light in her eyes finally began to return. Ruby let out a short sigh of relief and took a sip from her own drink before glancing towards the candle resting on the center of the table, at the flame dancing around the wick as the wax poured over the sides. Saph usually came to her for comfort over these things, and Ruby was glad that she knew what to say to help get her over her sadness, but she was fearful all the same. The world was a crazy place, after all… She wasn't sure she could keep all those promises she made to the short sword wielder. She had to try, though.

"Hey, Ruby… can I ask you something?" Sapphire's voice pulled the huntress from her thoughts, and she smiled before responding.

"Sure thing, Saph. Ask away."

"Why… why do you dislike Wes so much?"

Ruby had to force herself to keep calm once more. Just the mention of his name made her want to launch into a tirade…

"Well, he… hasn't exactly given me any reasons to like him at all. He's rash, arrogant, annoying, careless... He almost got you and Ammy killed, he barely listens to instructions in battle… And he takes a lot of things for granted that he really shouldn't. I don't actively try to hate him, but Wes really hasn't afforded me a reason to think differently."

"What does he take for granted? You've said that about a few people before, but not as angrily…"

"It doesn't really matter what it is, it just matters that he does," Ruby sighed. "Look, Saph… I just can't trust him. I don't trust him. I know you like him a lot, and I want you to be happy, but all I can see him doing is ruining your life or breaking your heart. I don't want you getting hurt over him."

"That sounds a lot like something a mother would say…"

"Heh, yeah, I… I guess it does."

"But… I have to tell you that I might end up telling him how I feel…"

"…O-okay, well, you know how I feel about that already… And if I can be completely honest, I'm not sure if your... ugh, _attraction _to him is healthy, considering it sounds like you kinda see Roy in him a lot. But… if you're really _that _crazy about him, I… will try not to complain. HOWEVER, if he does _anything _to hurt you, anything _at all_, I will bury him alive in the sand sea. Very near-death, sure, but alive."

"There's the Ruby I know," Sapphire laughed before finishing the rest of her tea. "Well, I know it's late, and we should probably get some rest… I'll head back to my room."

"You sure you don't want to stay in here with me like usual? I don't mind."

"No, I think I've bothered you enough for one night…" The huntress pushed herself up from her chair, and Ruby followed a moment later. They shared a quick smile before embracing each other warmly, and Ruby patted Saph's head lightly as she buried her head into the crimson-eyed woman's shoulder. "You really are the best sister anyone could ask for…"

"I won't tell Ammy or Emmy you said that," she chuckled before they separated, and Sapphire strode over to the door. "Good night, Saph."

"Good night, Ruby."

After the door closed, Ruby made her way over to her bed and kicked her slippers off, huffing quietly to herself as she pulled her sleep mask back over her eyes. Just before doing so, though, she remembered the lit candle in her room, and quickly made her way over to snuff it out before returning to bed. She didn't like the fact that Sapphire felt so strongly about Wes. He wasn't good for her, let alone anyone. All he had going for him, as far as Ruby was concerned, was a pretty face.

Still… what Sapphire had said earlier had begun to make her restless. She knew the huntress hadn't meant anything by it, but she couldn't have said anything worse at the time.

_That sounds like something a mother would say._

_What does he take for granted?_

_You really are the best sister anyone could ask for..._

"We are just one big happy family, huh…" she mumbled sourly, pulling a pillow over her head. "Gods, I miss you, Mom… I miss having a real family… Maybe then… everything would be better…"

* * *

**Author Notes: Please review! It's the first chapter of Master Corps that I've posted in a while, so any and all feedback is appreciated! No need to be shy now.**

**So, not exactly the most action-y reintroduction to TMC I could've had after that rather long hiatus, but exposition is necessary! Especially when we get to see all these private moments or interactions in one sitting. Rest assured, there will be plenty more action to come! And in case you weren't aware of where I've been or what I've been doing for so long that kept me from posting, I'd like to direct you towards the now-completed "The Lost Civilization: Driven". **

**But enough about that. Monster Hunter Generations came out yesterday, and holy hell is it as awesome as I hoped it would be. I've pretty quickly latched onto aerial dual blades, considering it makes hunts play out a lot more like the ones I write. I am also 100% convinced that Wolf's Maw is Devil Trigger: Monster Hunter addition. I have no complaints about that, mind you. Let me know if you'd like to play sometime though, I have yet to go online since offline has been keeping me busy, but I'm always up for a good team hunt.**

**Playing: MH Generations, SSB4, Pokémon Go**

**Watching: Patema Inverted, The Jungle Book, people walking into traffic while chasing after Pikachus**


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